WALES

Departmental/Ministerial Travel

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure was incurred by the Wales Office for (a) air and (b) rail travel in each year since 2003–04.

Peter Hain: The total travel cost incurred by the Wales Office for the following years were:
	
		
			 Means of travel £ 
		
		
			 (a) air travel  
			 2003–04 321 
			 2004–05 18,344 
			   
			 (b) rail travel  
			 2003–04 111,808 
			 2004–05 94,533 
		
	
	Figures for financial year 2005–06 will be available in April 2006.

Departmental/Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions since 7 July 2005 he has used the London Underground in connection with his official duties.

Peter Hain: On three occasions.

Government of Wales Act (Convictions)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) males and (b) females have been (i)charged with and (ii) convicted of offences under section (A) 72, (B) 75 and (C) 145C of the Government of Wales Act 1998 in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Peter Hain: None.

Race Equality Impact Assessments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many race equality impact assessments his Department completed between (a) April 2004 and March 2005 and (b) April 2005 and November 2005; and how many assessments in each period resulted in a change of policy.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office completed two race equality impact assessments between April 2004 and March 2005 as part of the regulatory impact assessments for the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill and the Transport (Wales) Bill. Between April 2005 and November 2005, one was completed as part of the Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Commissioner for Older People (Wales) Bill. No changes were made as a result of conducting these assessments.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Avian Influenza

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department has given to poultry workers and those working with live birds on the actions they should take in the event of their suffering from influenza-like symptoms.

Caroline Flint: I have been asked to reply.
	The extant general advice to poultry workers is that if they think that they have contracted an infection from an animal they should contact their doctor quickly and inform them that they work in agriculture. In the absence of avian influenza in the United Kingdom, poultry workers and others, having contact with live birds, need to follow only normal good practice in dealing with flu-like symptoms.
	Both the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have published guidance on their websites.

Biodiversity Ministerial Group

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who the members are of the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity; how often it meets; and whether the minutes of its meetings are published.

Jim Knight: The members of the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity are the Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Under-Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Rural Affairs, Landscape and Biodiversity at Defra, and the Chairman of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
	The group has met twice to date, and a third meeting is planned for February 2006. Thereafter the group intends to meet at intervals of between six and nine months.
	The minutes of the meetings are not published.

Bushmeat Trade

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what proposals the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity has made to date to combat the international trade in bushmeat;
	(2)  if the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity will open up discussions on the international trade in bushmeat to external stakeholders and other interested parties;
	(3)  what progress has been made by the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity in developing the Government's policy on the international trade in bushmeat from Africa.

Jim Knight: In response to a request from the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on biodiversity, the Department has recently let a research contract to the Overseas Development Institute.
	The research will comprise a desk study which will draw on previous and current research and other relevant literature, particularly focusing on literature published in the past five years. The results will inform policy discussions at the Inter-departmental Ministers Group on biodiversity, by addressing the key questions;
	1. Is the bushmeat trade a primary threat to endangered species?
	2. From the published literature are the major concerns about bushmeat generic or mainly about endangered charismatic species such as great apes?
	3. What action is already in hand by the Government, and to what extent does this fulfil the need to develop and implement specific actions?
	4. Is current action by the Government effective and are there further interventions which would be more effective?
	5. How do the Governments duties with regard to endangered species/international biodiversity relate to bushmeat? The research will include an assessment of the Governments obligations to the multilateral environmental agreements to which the UK is signed up to, as well as domestic controls that are in place.
	6. What is the relative importance of the bushmeat issue in relation to global biodiversity loss; and efforts to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity?
	7. What is the degree of aggregate dependence for poor people on bushmeat nationally in key bushmeat producing countries in west and central Africa?
	8. What impact would the declining supply of bushmeat have on poor people in these countries?
	9. Consideration of the evidence for an association between the levels of bushmeat trade in the sub-region and extra-sectoral influences, such as the EU common fisheries policy, and the policy issues arising.
	10. Whether the Governments focus in this regard should remain on western and central Africa or should this be broader to address bushmeat issues in the rest of Africa, and /or other parts of the world?
	The recommendations to the group will help to inform Government policy in this area. The specification for this project can be viewed at www.defra.gov.uk/science/funding/historical.htm.
	At this stage it would be premature to invite external stakeholders, and other interested parties, to discuss the matter before this work has concluded. The research is due to conclude in the summer of next year.

Departmental Estate

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which buildings and sites used by her Department and related agencies (a) have ceased to be used in the last year and (b) will be closed under current plans for relocation.

Jim Knight: The Sir Michael Lyons initiative is part of Defra's overall estate strategy that will contribute to the freeing up of space in London and the south east and the subsequent release" of our occupations. Planned relocation is currently unlikely to lead directly to closures.
	The following table lists those occupations nationwide that Defra and its agencies has ceased to use in the last year due mainly to estate rationalisation.
	
		
			 Property Date ceased to be used 
		
		
			 Market Towers, Nine Elms Lane, Vauxhall 28 May 2004 
			 10 Queen Street, Ripon 23 June 2004 
			 Springfield House, Chapel Brow, Leyland 29 June 2004 
			 Oxford Spires Business Park, Kidlington 8 July 2004 
			 132 Warkworth Woods, Gosforth 24 December 2004 
			 19–29 Woburn Place, London 31 January 2005 
			 Westmoreland Lane Farm, Crooklands,  Milnethorpe 22 March 2005 
			 2nd Floor Princes House, Queen Street,  Barnstaple 25 March 2005 
			 10 Whitehall Place, London 30 March 2005

Farming Guidelines

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines for working in co-operation with local farming interests her Department follows; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: There are no specific guidelines for working with local farming interests, however under the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy we have set up regional steering groups to oversee delivery of regional farming and food action plans. These groups consist of regional and local farming and food sector representatives, alongside other stakeholders from the health and environment sectors. The groups were brought together by Government offices and regional development agencies to decide initially upon the priorities within these plans, and then subsequently to oversee delivery.

Forestry Commission

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to ensure the Forestry Commission works closely with local farmers.

Jim Knight: The Forestry Commission has always worked closely with farmers and other landowners as it carries out its functions and duties under the Forestry Act 1991 and other legislation. These include the provision of advice and incentives for woodland management and creation as well as regulation of tree felling. DEFRA's Rural Strategy published in 2004 is leading to delivery reforms, including the creation of Natural England with which the Forestry Commission will be aligned. This will help to deliver services to farmers and the rural community in a more streamlined customer-focused way.
	The English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS), introduced earlier this year is simplifying arrangements for farmers who seek financial support for creating new woodlands by bringing together in a single scheme contribution to cost grants and income forgone payments.
	The introduction of woodland options under the Environmental Stewardship scheme has provided new opportunities for farmers. In order to help farmers understand the woodland support options available to them, the Commission and DEFRA have produced guidance for farmers, entitled Funding for Farm Woodlands in England. The Commission has also been working closely with the Rural Development Service through joint Environmental Stewardship staff training events.
	The Commission is also a major land manager, which gives it a unique insight and understanding of countryside management and the needs of its neighbours, many of who are farmers.

Housing Development

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the quantity of carbon dioxide emissions which would be saved in a year if the National Code for Sustainable Buildings was extended to all new housing developments in England.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is consulting on a proposed new Code. The consultation document includes the customary regulatory impact assessment.

Land Use

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the environment of turning high grade agricultural land into low grade park and scrub land.

Jim Knight: Land use inevitably evolves in response to a range of factors and has the potential for both positive and negative environmental impacts. The nature and speed of ongoing change may vary following the introduction this year of the decoupled CAP single payment scheme. Besides existing surveys and monitoring, we are spending over £1 million over the next three years on a new Agricultural Change and Environmental Observatory programme, to monitor and where possible anticipate such changes. The Observatory programme is being developed by DEFRA and key stakeholders including English Nature, the Countryside Agency and the Environment Agency.

TREASURY

Tax Credit System

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent performance of the tax credit system.

Dawn Primarolo: Child tax credit is benefiting 6 million families, with 1½ million poor children already lifted out of poverty.
	Building on work to improve the administration of tax credits, which I reported at the hearing of the Treasury Sub-Committee on 26 October, the Chancellor announced in his pre-Budget report a package of further improvements that reflect our experience of the first years of operating the tax credits system. These measures will provide greater certainty for claimants, while maintaining flexibility to respond to falls in income and changes in families' circumstances.

UK Economy

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the principal factors affecting the estimated level of growth in the UK economy.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr.Boswell) in the Chamber earlier today, Official Report, column 986.

UK Economy

Damian Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the principal factors affecting the estimated level of growth in the UK economy.

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the principal factors affecting the estimated level of growth in the UK economy.

John Healey: Pre-Budget report 2005 (Cm 6701), published on 5 December 2005, provided a comprehensive account of recent economic developments and fully set out the Government's assessment of growth prospects for the UK economy.

Biofuels

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of duty on (a) biodiesel and (b) bioethanol.

John Healey: Both biodiesel and bioethanol attract a favourable duty differential of 20 pence per litre less than that for the main road fuels. We have guaranteed that this differential will continue until at least 2007–08.
	Government support for biofuels has led to the amounts of biofuels being released for consumption in the UK increasing 10-fold since the same period last year.

Child Poverty

Chris Bryant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of children living in poverty in the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government's policy is that every child should have the opportunity to fulfil its potential. That is why we have set a target to eradicate child poverty by 2020, and intermediate targets to reduce it by a quarter and a half.
	We are broadly on track to meet our first target, and the latest figures show that we have already lifted more than half a million children out of relative low-income poverty since 1998–99, from 3.1 to 2.6 million by 2003–04.

Pensions Commission

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the public expenditure implications are of the proposals in the Pensions Commission's second report; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The most reasonable starting point for estimating the costs of the Pensions Commission's proposals is that implied by existing Government commitments and known demographic trends. Using this starting point, the Commission's own published estimates show that their core state pension package begins to add cost in 2010, reaching a total of £14 billion by 2020 in real terms.

EU Budget (Rebate)

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of the UK rebate within the EU budget.

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of the UK rebate within the EU budget.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the written ministerial statement given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to the House on 5 December, Official Report, column 65WS.

EU Budget (Rebate)

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cumulative value of the UK's rebate from the EU budget has been since 1984.

Ivan Lewis: From 1985–86, when the abatement came into effect, to the end of 2004–05, the value totalled £44.2 billion.

Work Force Skills

Chris Mole: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the relationship between the level of skills in the work force and economic growth.

John Healey: Skills are vital to the stability and growth of the economy. Increases in an economy's trend rate of growth depend on how many people are in employment and how productive they are. Skills are one of the drivers of productivity.
	That is why the Government have more than doubled overall investment in education and training since 1997.
	It is also why the Chancellor commissioned the Leitch Review of Skills, this independent review of the UK's skills needs, which published its interim report on Monday, set out the extent of current evidence on the relationship between work force skills and employment.

Job Creation

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new jobs have been created since 1997.

John Healey: Since 1997, there are 2.2 million more jobs in the UK. Over the last eight years, job numbers have grown by 330,000 a year; an average growth rate of 1 per cent. and, the number of jobs in the UK is now at a record high.

Air Passenger Duty

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of air passenger duty has been in each year since 1997 (a) in real terms, allowing for inflation and compared to the increase in gross domestic product, and (b) expressed as average amount per UK passenger.

John Healey: Reliable estimates of the value of each of the four APD rates for each scenario requested from 1997 are not available due to the restructuring of APD in 2001. However, estimates since 2001 are shown in the following table.
	
		Real terms APD (£)
		
			  EEA—Reduced rate EEA—Standard rate Non-EEA—Reduced rate Non-EEA—Standard rate Average per passenger 
		
		
			 2001 5.00 10.00 20.00 40.00 10.12 
			 2002 4.92 9.84 19.68 39.36 9.70 
			 2003 4.78 9.55 19.11 38.22 8.38 
			 2004 4.64 9.28 18.56 37.11 8.24 
		
	
	
		APD (£) if raised with money GDP
		
			  EEA—Reduced Rate EEA—Standard rate Non-EEA—Reduced rate Non-EEA—Standard rate Average per passenger 
		
		
			 2001 5.00 10.00 20.00 40.00 10.12 
			 2002 4.82 9.64 19.28 38.56 9.50 
			 2003 4.56 9.12 18.24 36.47 8.00 
			 2004 4.28 8.56 17.13 34.26 7.61 
		
	
	Information on the rates of air passenger duty is available at the UK Trade Info website at: www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=statindex

Air Passenger Duty

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the increase in air passenger duty which would be required to maintain air fares at a constant level in real terms up to 2010 and (b) what increase in price this would contribute to average air fares.

John Healey: No estimate has been made of what APD would be necessary to maintain air fares constant in real terms until 2010. Likewise no estimate has been made into what proportion this would contribute to average air fares.
	Information on the rates of air passenger duty is available at the UK Trade Info website at: www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=statindex

Companies Act Regulations

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he has drafted new regulations to replace the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005;
	(2)  if he will list the regulations which implement the operating and financial review for UK listed companies;
	(3)  what new regulations he plans to issue on company reporting consequent on his planned abolition of the operating and financial review.

Ivan Lewis: The Department of Trade and Industry is drafting regulations to amend the relevant sections of the Companies Act 1985, as originally amended by the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1011). These will remove the statutory requirement for an OFR, leaving in place a requirement for all companies to prepare an enhanced business review in their directors' reports. The new regulations will reinforce the Government's commitment to improving strategic, forward-looking narrative reporting.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Lembit �pik: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Barnett formula will apply to the outcome of the 2007 comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The funding arrangements for the devolved Administrations are set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published in July 2004. The Government have no plans to replace the Barnett formula.

Construction Projects (Bank Accounts)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on introducing a requirement for all public sector contractors to establish project bank accounts for all construction projects coming on-stream; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Government support fair payment practice within the construction industry. Clients within Government Departments must consider the most suitable approach to use on a case-by-case basis from the range of options open to themincluding making use of project bank accounts.
	It is important that clients are able to judge each case on its merits, as it is not at present considered appropriate to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to the use of project bank accounts, or for that matter any other single payment mechanism, for all construction procurement activity.

Debt

Edward Balls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many households in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Normanton constituency have a level of debt above (i) 10,000, (ii) 20,000, (iii)50,000 and (iv) 100,000;
	(2)  how many women in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Wakefield district and (c) Normanton constituency have debts of over 10,000; and how many of these are under 30-years-old.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the national statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions on the number of households and the number of women in West Yorkshire, Wakefield district and Normanton constituency that were more than 10,000 in debt (35407, 35408).
	The information requested is not available.
	The only information available is national data on debt per person or per household. At the end of 2004 debt per person nationally was 25,135; and debt per household was 48,185.

Golden Rule

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to commission independent assessments of the golden rule.

Des Browne: Progress against the golden rule is measured by the average annual surplus on the current budget as a percentage of GDP over the economic cycle.
	Based on cautious audited assumptions underpinning the public finance forecast the PBR 2005 shows that the Government is meeting the golden rule in the current economic cycle.

HMRC (Investigations)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to speed up the response of HM Revenue and Customs to investigations by the parliamentary ombudsman.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs generally respond to inquiries from the parliamentary ombudsman promptly within the time limit set by her office, usually three weeks. Where there are difficulties in meeting the time limit, it is normal practice that arrangements are made with the ombudsman's office to agree an extension.

Income Growth

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average percentage increase was in net income in the UK over the past three years; and what the rate of inflation was over the same period.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking (a) what the average percentage increase was in net income in the UK over the past three years and (b) what the rate of inflation was over the same period, (34678)
	(a) It has been assumed that the question relates to gross disposable income of the household sector. The latest information available for gross disposable income is for the second quarter of 20057 (2005Q2). The growth in this series over the three years to 2005Q2 was 12.4%; equivalent to an average of 4.0% per annum.
	The series quoted is gross disposable income for the combined household and non-profit institutions, serving-households (NPISH) sectors. The accounts for the household and NPISH sectors are currently combined; separate estimates are not available.
	(b) In the UK, there are two main measures of inflation, the Consumer Prices Index (GPI) and the Retail Prices Index (RPI). The Government's inflation target is based on the CPI. The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee sets interest rates to meet this target. The RPI is the more familiar measure of inflation. Tax allowances, state benefits, pensions and many other payments are often revised in line with this index.
	The figures are published each month on the National Statistics website, www.statistics.gov.uk, in a First Release, on a Tuesday about a month, after the index date. The publication dates are announced six months in advance.
	The most recently available three-year period is for October 2002October 2005, During this period, the CPI increased by 5.0percent while the RPI increased by 6.9 percent.
	The-figures for the last three years are shown in full in Annex A. Figures are presented for both the CPI and the RPI. Monthly figures and the most recently available annual averages for the last three years are presented.
	
		Annex A. CPI and RPI indices and inflation rates: the latest three years
		
			  CPI RPI 
			  Index over 1996=100 Percentage change over 12 months Index January 1987=100 Percentage change over 12 months 
		
		
			 2002 
			 October 108.9 1.4 177.9 2.1 
			 November 108.9 1.6 178.2 2.6 
			 December 109.3 1.7 178.5 2.9 
			  
			 2003 
			 January 108.6 1.4 178.4 2.9 
			 February 109.0 1.6 179.3 3.2 
			 March 109.4 1.6 179.9 3.1 
			 April 109.7 1.5 181.2 3.1 
			 May 109.7 1.2 181.5 3.0 
			 June 109.6 1.1 181.3 2.9 
			 July 109.5 1.3 181.3 3.1 
			 August 109.9 1.4 181.6 2.9 
			 September 110.2 1.4 182.5 2.8 
			 October 110.4 1.4 182.6 2.6 
			 November 110.3 1.3 182.7 2.5 
			 December 110.7 1.3 183.5 2.8 
			  
			 2004 
			 January 110.1 1.4 183.1 2.6 
			 February 110.4 1.3 183.8 2.5 
			 March 110.6 1.1 184.6 2.6 
			 April 111.0 1.2 185.7 2.5 
			 May 111.4 1.5 186.5 2.8 
			 June 111.3 1.6 186.8 3.0 
			 July 111.0 1.4 186.8 3.0 
			 August 111.3 1.3 187.4 3.2 
			 September 111.4 1.1 188.1 3.1 
			 October 111.7 1.2 188.6 33 
			 November 111.9 1.5 189.6 3.4 
			 December 112.5 1.6 189.9 3.5 
			  
			 2005 
			 January 111.9 1.6 188.9 3.2 
			 February 112.2 1.6 189.6 3.2 
			 March 112.7 1.9 190.5 3.2 
			 April 113.1 1.9 191.6 3.2 
			 May 113.5 1.9 192.0 2.9 
			 June 113.5 2.0 192.2 2.9 
			 July 113.6 23 192.2 2.9 
			 August 114.0 2.4 192.6 2.8 
			 September 114.2 2.5 193.1 2.7 
			 October 114.3 2.3 193.3 2.5 
			  
			 2002 108.3 1.3 176.2 1.7 
			 2003 109.8 1.4 181.3 2.9 
			 2004 111.2 1.3 186.7 3.0 
		
	
	Source:
	National Statistics Consumer price indices First Release, 15November 2005

Interim Death Certificates

Betty Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department has given to financial institutions on the acceptability of interim death certificates in permitting access by next-of-kin to funds held in the name of the deceased.

Dawn Primarolo: No guidance has been given to financial institutions by the Treasury on the acceptability of interim death certificates in permitting access by next-of-kin to funds held in the name of the deceased.

Low-income Families

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will encourage the use of credit unions among families on low incomes; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government welcome the role credit unions play in promoting financial inclusion and recognises their contribution to choice and diversity in the financial services sector.
	Measures announced at this PBR, will facilitate an expansion in the use of credit unions among individuals and families on low incomes. In particular, the maximum rate that credit unions can charge on loans will be increased from 1 per cent. a month to 2 per cent. a month.
	The new rate will allow credit unions to develop a more risk-based approach to lending, enabling them to offer affordable credit to more people on low incomes who currently rely on high rate lenders.
	The Government have also announced changes that will enable credit unions to offer cash ISAs to their members. This follows changes announced at Budget 2005 to allow credit unions to offer child trust fund accounts. These measures complement a 36 million growth fund for credit unions and other community-based lenders, announced at PBR 2004, and to be administered by the Department for Work and Pensions from mid-2006.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since 7 July he has used the London underground in connection with his official duties.

John Healey: The Chancellor regularly uses public transport in connection with his official duties. It would be inappropriate to disclose details on security grounds.

Older Workers

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women aged 50 to 65 years are available for work; and how many are employed (i)full-time and (ii) part-time.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 8 December 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about people aged 5065 and their economic activity.
	The attached table provides available information showing the number of people aged 5064 who are in employment and working full or part time, also those who are unemployed. The table covers the twelve month period ending in August 2005.
	These estimates from the Labour Force Survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		People aged 5064 who are in employment working full or part time and those who are unemployed, United Kingdom, 12 month period ending August 2005 -- Thousand
		
			In employment Unemployed(1) 
			  Total population aged 5064 Total active population Total(2) Of which: Full-time Of which: Part-time Total 
		
		
			 All persons 10,604 7,035 6,838 4,938 1,896 198 
			 Male 5,217 3,906 3,775 3,336 437 131 
			 Female 5,387 3,129 3,063 1,602 1,459 67 
		
	
	(1)For seeking work and available to start, those people unemployed have been given.
	(2)Includes people who did not state whether working full or part time.
	Source:
	ONSLabour Force Survey

Operating and Financial Review

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect on company stakeholders of the non-implementation of the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the cost to businesses in preparing for the implementation of the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the reasons were for his decision to abandon the Operating and Financial Review;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost to British companies of preparing to meet the requirements of the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of the implications of his announcement of the removal of the obligation to publish operating and financial reviews for the Government's policy on company law reform; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Government assessed the costs of implementing a statutory Operating and Financial Review against those of implementing an enhanced Business Review in a Regulatory Impact Assessment, which was published alongside the DTI's formal response to consultation. It was estimated that a statutory Operating and Financial Review would cost business 33 million per annum more than the Business Review. Most of these additional costs related to the different audit requirements applying to the OFR compared to the Business Review.
	Consistent with its approach to company law reform of simplifying company law, reducing the regulatory burden on business and promoting effective shareholder engagement, the Government have concluded that a requirement for an enhanced Business Review, in line with the requirements of the European Accounts Modernisation Directive, is preferable to a requirement for a statutory Operating and Financial Review for quoted companies. The enhanced Business Review will meet key narrative reporting requirements, while imposing considerably less cost than the Operating and Financial Review. The new reporting regime demonstrates the Government's ongoing commitment to strategic forward looking narrative reporting.

Operating and Financial Review

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what consultation he undertook with stakeholders before revoking the regulations covering the implementation of the Operating and Financial Review for FTSE listed companies; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he had with (a) the Confederation of British Industry, (b) the Department for Trade and Industry, (c) the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (d) the Association of British Insurers and (e) the Sustainable Development Commission prior to his decision to abandon the Operating and Financial Review; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will list the organisations consulted on his decision to remove the obligation on businesses to publish operating and financial reviews;
	(4)  whether he consulted the (a) Operating and Financial Review Working Group and (b) Financial Reporting Council before his decision to remove the obligation on companies to publish an operating and financial review.

John Healey: holding answer 5 December 2005
	In line with the Government's commitment to simplifying company law and reducing the regulatory burden on business, the Government have decided to replace the requirement for quoted companies to produce a statutory Operating and Financial Review with a requirement to produce an enhanced Business Review. This aligns the reporting requirements of quoted companies with the requirements of the European Accounts Modernisation Directive and demonstrates the government's ongoing commitment to strategic forward-looking narrative reporting.
	In considering the issues around removing the statutory OFR, the Government reviewed responses to the extensive consultation on the introduction of the OFR published by the DTI in December 2004.

Private Members' Bills

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list those Private Members' Bills introduced under (a) Standing Order No. 14(6), (b) Standing Order No. 23 and (c) Standing Order No. 57 which were (i) supported and (ii) opposed by his Department in each session since 199798.

John Healey: The information requested is not available.

R648 Forms

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many R648 forms have been (a) received and (b) processed successfully each month since May 2004; what target has been set for the speed of processing of form R648 in the central processing facility; what assessment he has made of the risk of a backlog of unprocessed R648 forms at 31 January 2006; how many centrally employed Inland Revenue staff are involved in processing R648 forms; what representations he has received regarding the decision to process R648 forms centrally rather than at local HM Revenue and Customs offices; what the average processing time was from receipt to completion for R648 forms received (i) prior to and (ii) since the centralising of processing; and if he will take steps to ensure that taxpayers are not penalised where an R648 form has been submitted but remains unprocessed at the last date for filing tax returns.

Dawn Primarolo: Prior to April 2005 this work was dealt with across the IR office network. To improve customer service, by ensuring consistency in treatment, the centralisation of this work began in April 2005. Statistics are only available from when the work was centralised in April 2005.
	
		
			  648s received 648s processed 
		
		
			 April 2005 136,845 51,800 
			 May 2005 86,155 54,178 
			 June 2005 88,301 70,407 
			 July 2005 85,588 187,388 
			 August 2005 104,289 125,195 
			 September 2005 91,818 80,680 
			 October 2005 96,665 96,864 
			 November 2005 112,182 111,830 
		
	
	This work is subject to a turnaround target for correspondence of 15 working days. The current average turnaround time for processing the clerical forms 648 on all the relevant systems within NICO is 10 days and eight days for recording the 648 on the self assessment system.
	Plans are in place to ensure that every effort is made to have no self assessment related forms on hand at 31 January 2006. We have introduced an online authorisation service which allows agents to set up client authorisations without the need to submit paper 648s.
	At 2 December there were 129 full time equivalent staff working on processing 648 forms.
	We anticipate processing more than 1 million 648 forms this financial year, 251 representations have been received about the process. Of those 57 per cent. have mentioned delays in the process. Only a very small proportion has specifically mentioned concerns about the centralisation of the process.
	As mentioned above, the current average turnaround time for processing the clerical forms 648 on all the relevant systems within NICO is 10 days and eight days for recording on the self assessment system.
	The online agent authorisation service is currently available. Existing guidance on HMRC's website or the leaflet COP1 gives taxpayers information on how to appeal against any penalties imposed by HMRC.

Research and Development (Tax Relief)

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of research and development tax reliefs and tax credits on companies' propensity to spend money on research and development.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 95W on Rand D tax credits. The results from the survey of Rand D companies referred to in that reply were published on the HM Revenue and Customs website on 2 December 2005 at www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/ The survey shows that the R and D tax credit has already had a positive impact since its introduction; half of those with a successful claim said that R and D tax credits had had some impact on either their R and D spend or R and D projects.
	The survey results form the first part of the long-term evaluation of R and D tax credits. The Government remain committed to ongoing evaluation of the R and D tax credit and will continue to appraise its overall impact as further evaluation results build up over time.

Research and Development (Tax Relief)

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) small and medium-sized and (b) other companies have chosen (i) to offset research and development tax relief against current or future tax and (ii) to receive research and development tax credit as a cash sum in each year for which figures are available; what the total (A) turnover and (B) number of employees is of those companies in each case; and what the total value is of the tax (1) relief and (2) credit in each case.

John Healey: Data for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is published on the HM Revenue and Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate_tax/randdtcmenu. The data shows the number and value of claims for research and development (R and D) tax reliefs. The value of support claimed is classified as either reductions in corporation tax revenue from setting off R and D tax reliefs against profits, payable credits or a combination of both. The total turnover of companies claiming R and D tax reliefs under the SME scheme is shown in the following table.
	
		R and D tax relief: total turnover of all claimants under the SME scheme
		
			   million 
		
		
			 200001 2,620 
			 200102 6,630 
			 200203 10,710 
			 200304 14,100 
			 200405 7,890 
			 200506 220 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures, particularly for later years, are subject to change as more claims are received.
	Data for other companies (commonly called large companies) are shown in the following table. The claims and value of support for large companies relate only to reductions in corporation tax revenue from companies use of R and D tax reliefs to reduce their tax liabilities.
	
		R and D tax relief: number of claims, value of support claimed and total turnover under the large company scheme
		
			  Number of claims Support claimed (million) Total turnover ( million) 
		
		
			 200203 765 180 125,090 
			 200304 1,080 320 135,650 
			 200405 260 30 4,950 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Figures, particularly for later years, are subject to change as more claims are received.
	2.The number of claims and total turnover are calculated according to the financial year in which the company's accounting period ends. The value of support claimed is calculated on a receipts-basis according to when tax receipts are foregone by HM Revenue and Customs.
	Information is not available on the total number of employees of companies claiming R and D tax reliefs.

Small Businesses

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures his Department is preparing to take to reduce the burden of administration on small businesses.

John Healey: The Government set out in the pre-Budget report their approach to better regulation including the progress made in implementing the Better Regulation Task Force's and the Hampton Report's recommendations first announced in Budget 2005. The Treasury is fully committed to the implementation of these recommendations as they effect the department, in particular applying a risk-based approach to the regulation of financial services and measuring the administrative burdens of the Treasury's regulations on business as part of a government-wide project. The Government will set targets to reduce these administrative burdens on businesses, charities and the voluntary sector next year.

Tax Credits

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many applications have been received for tax credit additional payments (a) in each year since the start of the scheme and (b) in each month for 200506;
	(2)  how many tax credit additional payments have been made (a) in each year since the start of the scheme and (b) in each month for 200506; and what the total value of these additional payments has been in each case;
	(3)  how many tax credit additional payments have been refused (a) in each year since the start of the scheme, (b) in each month for 200506 and (c) according to each of the grounds for rejection as set out in Code of Practice 26 (2005);
	(4)  how many tax credit additional payments have been made in (a) in-year overpayments and (b) end of year overpayments, broken down by the year in which the initial award was made.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the numbers of requests for additional tax credits payments, and the number refused, is not available.
	For the number and value of additional payments made I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 331W.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's latest estimate is of the number of likely (a) overpayments and (b) underpayments in tax credits for 200405.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my right hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws)

Tax Credits

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises in Tamworth constituency were eligible for research and development tax credits in each of the last five years; and what the take-up was in each year.

John Healey: The information requested in relation to enterprises in Tamworth is not available.
	For information generally on take-up of research and development tax credits I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Luton, South (Margaret Moran) of 1 November 2005, Official Report, column 991W, on tax credits.

TRANSPORT

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department is taking to reduce emissions from aviation as a contribution to the shared Public Service Agreement climate change target to move towards a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions below 1990 levels by 2010.

Karen Buck: International aviation is outside the scope of our domestic targets, but we are taking action to tackle the climate change impact of aviation as set out in the Aviation White paper. This includes pressing for the inclusion of aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme. The Government are also pressing for the adoption by industry of working practices that minimise their impact on climate change, research into new technologies and voluntary action by industry to control greenhouse gas emissions. We recognise that these measures may not provide a total solution. In view of this, the Government will continue to explore and discuss options for the use of other economic instruments.

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to tackle aircraft emissions.

Karen Buck: The Government's plans to tackle aircraft emissions are set out in The Future of Air Transport White Paper. On climate change, it sets out the Government's belief that the best way of ensuring aviation contributes towards the goal of climate stabilisation would be through a well-designed emissions trading regime, for which we are pressing at international and European level. At the local level, the Government are seeking powers through the Civil Aviation Bill to require the imposition of an emissions related element in airport charges where an air quality problem exists. We are also continuing to press for tighter standards for aircraft emissions and improved operational practice to reduce local emissions.

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that children's education is not affected by exposure to aircraft noise; what (a) standards and (b) guidelines for airlines apply in this area; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: In its White Paper The Future of Air Transport the Government stated that larger UK airportsthose with more than 50,000 movements a yearare expected to offer acoustic insulation to noise-sensitive buildings such as schools, which are exposed to medium to high levels of noise, that is 63dBA Leq or more. The dBA value relates to the Leq16 hour daytime period from 07.00 to 23.00.
	The White Paper recognised the difficulties associated with insulating some noise-sensitive buildings. We say that where acoustic insulation cannot provide an appropriate or cost-effect solution, airport operators should endeavour to provide alternative mitigation measures such as environmental grants, provisions of quiet rooms for reading or music, or funding for school trips away from the noisy environment, especially where the loss of amenity outdoors may be severe. In such cases we expect the priority of need and the level of any contribution to be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the airport operator and relevant stakeholders.
	BAA have announced its intention at Heathrow to work with relevant local authorities to set up a community-led body to take these decisions.

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the (i) impact of exposure to aircraft noise on the educational development of children and (ii) numbers of schoolchildren who may be affected by aviation-related noise.

Karen Buck: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs co-funded the European Community RANCH (Road Traffic and Aircraft Noise exposure and Children's Cognition and Health) Study.
	This comprised three field studies of children around major airports in the UK, Spain and the Netherlands. In the UK children from 29 different schools around Heathrow took part.
	The Government took the emerging results of this research into account when developing its environmental policies set out in The Future of Air Transport White Paper.
	Full details of the RANCH studyas well as the earlier West London Schools Studyare on DEFRA'S website at www.defra.gov.uk
	The study concluded that aircraft noise exposure was related to impaired performance in reading comprehension and recognition memory. In particular that the reading age in children exposed to high levels of aircraft noise was delayed by up to two months in the United Kingdom and by up to one month in the Netherlands for a 5dB change in noise exposure. It was not possible to calculate reading age for the Spanish test.
	Aircraft noise was not associated with impairment of recall memory, working memory, prospective memory or sustained attention.

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Education and Skills on the impact of aviation-related noise under Heathrow flight paths on children's learning.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport and the Department for Education and Skills are aware of the European Community RANCH (Road Traffic and Aircraft Noise exposure and Children's Cognition and Health) Study, which was co-funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. There have been no discussions between Departments specifically on the issues raised by the RANCH study, as they affect Heathrow. In the first instance these are matters for the local education authority.

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the change in quantities of emissions produced by UK air travel in (a) 2030 and (b) 2050 compared with 2005; and what assumptions underlie those forecasts.

Karen Buck: Our forecasts for aviation and climate change, and the assumptions underlying them, are set out in Aviation and Global Warming, published by the Department for Transport in January 2004. The figures shown relate to estimates of emissions for all flights departing UK airports for 2030 and 2050, with an interpolated figure for 2005.
	
		
			  Carbon emitted (Mt) 
		
		
			 (2005) (9.8) 
			 2030 17.7 
			 2050 17.4

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what amount emissions trading is expected to reduce the Government's forecast of increased climate change emissions from aviation at 2030, expressed as a percentage and in absolute terms.

Karen Buck: At present, it is too early to provide a reliable estimate of the impact emissions trading will have on forecasts of emissions from aviation. This will depend on a number of factors including the overall number of allowances and the detailed design for the inclusion of aviation into the ED ETS. These factors have yet to be specified and will be subject to discussion with other member states' Governments.

Aircraft Emissions/Noise

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what modelling the Government has undertaken of the impact of the trend in aviation's proportion of total UK emissions of greenhouse gases on the costs and reduction requirements of other UK emissions sectors with, particular reference to (a) business, (b) public services and (c) residential use.

Karen Buck: International aviation is outside the scope of our domestic targets. Domestic aviation was responsible for 0.38 per cent. of UK emissions in 2003. We have not undertaken any modelling of the impact that trends in these emissions would have on the costs and reduction requirements in other sectors.

Departmental Energy Consumption

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much energy has been consumed by his Department in each of the last five years; and how much was spent on energy in each year.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002 and as a result the information provided only relates from the years 200203 onwards.
	The Department's energy consumption and spend are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  kWh Cost () 
		
		
			 200203 63,611,113 2,190,786 
			 200304 65,700,149 2,494,598 
			 200405 79,740,062 2,753,353 
		
	
	The data above covers approximately 1,100 sites that range from large central HQ offices, regional training facilities, driving test centres, Maritime Rescue Sub Centres and vehicle testing stations.

Departmental Vacancies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff vacancies there are in the railways sector of his Department.

Derek Twigg: The complement of the Rail Group is 259. There are currently 250 staff in post.

DVLA

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority has recently sold on information about licence holders to a third party.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 7 December 2005
	The provisions governing the release of vehicle keeper data have been in place for over 40 years. Regulation (1)(e) of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 allows DVLA to release information from the vehicle register to anyone who can demonstrate 'reasonable cause' to have it. 'Reasonable cause' is not defined in legislation and requests are considered on their merits.
	DVLA's inquiry unit deals with approximately 30,000 requests for information each week. When details can lawfully be released, a fee of 2.50 is charged to prevent administrative costs being borne by the taxpayer.
	When these provisions were introduced, the large numbers of vehicles currently on the roads, or the range of bodies requesting access was not anticipated. For these reasons, I have announced a review of regulations governing release of information early in the new year.

Fatal Road Accidents

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatal road accidents occurred in the Leeds West constituency in each year between 1992 and 2005.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of fatal accidents in Leeds West constituency from 19942004 based on 2004 boundaries are given in the following table. Constituency data is not compiled prior to 1994.
	
		
			  Fatal accidents 
		
		
			 1994 5 
			 1995 3 
			 1996 2 
			 1997 6 
			 1998 3 
			 1999 2 
			 2000 5 
			 2001 5 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 3 
			 2004 4

Festivals

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 562W, on festivals, how much was spent by the Department on the Celebration of Culture event on Friday 11 November 2005.

Karen Buck: The Department spent 300 on the Celebration of Culture event on Friday 11 November 2005.

Festivals

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 562W, on festivals, how much money was made available by his Department for staff to travel to (a) the Swansea Chinese Association's New Year Celebration, (b) the 2004 Diwali Event at the NEC in Birmingham and (c) the November 2005 Asian Mela Event at the NEC.

Karen Buck: The Highways Agency reimbursed a total of 200 in travel costs to enable three staff to represent the agency over two days at the 2004 Diwali event at the NEC in Birmingham, and reimbursed a total of 210 in travel costs to enable six staff to represent the agency over three days at the Asian Mela Event at the NEC.
	Two members of DVLA's Diversity Team attended the Swansea Chinese Association's New Year Celebration in their own time and at no cost to the Department or DVLA.

Free Travel Provisions

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include (a) dial-a-ride and (b) community transport services in the provisions for free travel from April 2006.

Karen Buck: As is the case with the current statutory minimum entitlement, dial-a-ride and community transport services will not be included. Local authorities will have the discretion, as they do at present, to offer concessions on these services based on their judgment of local circumstances and their overall financial priorities.

Maladministration

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many payments for maladministration have been made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies, (c) its non-departmental public bodies and (d) other bodies for which his Department has responsibility in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002 therefore prior to that no information on any maladministration is available.
	
		
			  200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Department n/a n/a 10 17 15 
			 Agencies n/a n/a 26 51 77 
			 NDPBs n/a n/a 0 0 0 
			 Bodies sponsored  by Department 0 0 0 0 0

Public Transport (Disabled Access)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on access for disabled people to public transport.

Karen Buck: The Government are committed to an accessible public transport system in which disabled people have the same opportunities to travel as other members of society.
	A great deal has already been achieved. For example, we have introduced regulations significantly improving access for disabled people to all new trains, buses and coaches; over 4,700 accessible rail vehicles will be in service by the end of 2005 and almost half of the bus fleet is already accessible across the country, with much higher proportions in many urban areas.
	Measures in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 will further increase disabled people's rights when travelling by public transport. These include extending to transport services the right of access disabled people currently have to services such as shops and banks. The new Act also allows us to set an end date, of no later than 1 January 2020, by which time all trains will have to be accessible. We are on course to implement these measures in December 2006 in line with our published timetable.

Public Transport (Disabled Access)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects all buses in (a) England and (b) Lancashire to be accessible by disabled people and those in wheelchairs.

Karen Buck: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (as amended) require buses with a capacity of more than 22 passengers, used on or after 31 December 2000 to be accessible to disabled people including wheelchair users. The regulations set end dates of 1 January 2015 for small single deck buses, 1 January 2016 for large single deck buses and 1 January 2017 for double deck buses to comply with the regulations. After those dates all buses in service will be accessible. Bus operators are free to choose how and where they introduce compliant buses, often leading to higher concentrations of accessible buses in major cities.

Public Transport (Disabled Access)

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve access to public transport for disabled people in Swindon.

Karen Buck: We have introduced accessibility planning into the local transport planning process to encourage local authorities and other agencies to assess more systematically whether people can access transport services in their areas. This process covers all forms of transport from buses, coaches and taxis to cycling and walking networks. Making provision for disabled people is a condition against which the resulting Local Transport Plans (LTPs) are assessed.
	Swindon borough council is using its LTP funding for an on-going programme of improvements at bus stops that will assist disabled passengers. The programme involves provision of raised kerbs at bus stops to minimise the step height between the pavement and the bus. This allows easier access for wheelchair users and for other people who have difficulty with high steps such as many older people.
	Routes to bus stops are also being improved with new link paths and dropped-kerb road crossings and bus Stop Clearways are introduced to ensure that parked cars do not obstruct the stops allowing buses to pull up alongside the raised kerbs.
	Local bus operators are providing new accessible low floor buses in Swindon and the Local Transport Plan funding to improve bus stops will allow the benefits of this investment in new vehicles to be maximised.
	Rail services in Swindon are already accessible to disabled people. The station has lifts to all platforms and recent access improvements have been made to the forecourt and bus stop areas.
	At a national level there has been significant progress in making public transport accessible to disabled people through regulations made under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995). We made the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations in 2000 and many of the trains calling at the station comply with those. Although the older rolling stock serving Swindon doesn't comply it can nevertheless accommodate passengers travelling in a wheelchair.
	More generally disabled people in Swindon as elsewhere in the country will also benefit from the provisions in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA 2005). We have already laid regulations which will, from December 2006, lift the transport exemption in Part 3 of the for land-based public transport, vehicle hire, breakdown services and vehicles used on leisure and tourism transport services. We will also be consulting shortly on draft regulations to set an end date of no later than 1 January 2020 for when all trains will have to meet the rail vehicle accessibility regulations and to apply those regulations to older trains when they are refurbished.

Race Equality Impact Assessments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Race Equality Impact Assessments his Department completed between (a) April 2004 and March 2005 and (b) April 2005 and November 2005; and how many assessments in each period resulted in a change of policy.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality. The Department's Race Equality Scheme 200508 covers the activities of the Department and its executive agencies as an employer as well as a policy maker and service provider.
	Race Equality Impact Assessments are being completed across all areas of our business. From April 2004 to March 2005 the Department for Transport has completed eight Race Equality Impact Assessments, two of which have resulted in policy changes.
	No centrally co-ordinated figures are yet available for the period April 2005 to November 2005 as we collect statistics on an annual basis. These figures will be collected as part of our next race equality data monitoring exercise and published in our 200506 Race Equality Report.

Railways

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with rail operating companies about fares.

Derek Twigg: None.

Railways

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will take steps (a) to re-establish and (b) to improve rail services between Leeds City Centre and the towns and villages in the outlying areas of Leeds metropolitan district council; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will take steps to re-open rail services to East Ardsley.

Derek Twigg: There are no plans to re-establish rail services between Leeds city centre and the outlying areas of Leeds metropolitan district council or East Ardsley. The Department nevertheless continues to work with West Yorkshire passenger transport executive which has responsibility for rail services in this area, to secure improvements, based on proposals that show value for money and affordability.

Railways

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the impact of the returned rolling stock to the c2c Fenchurch Street line on the availability of seats for commuters entering the line at Benfleet Station; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the return of rolling stock to the c2c Fenchurch Street line; and when stock will be available to commuters.

Derek Twigg: Of the five units transferred away in May 2004, three returned to service on c2c in September. This allowed capacity increases on three morning and three evening peak services, all of which call at Benfleet. The other two units are due to return to c2c by the end of this month.

Sick Leave

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of his Department's employees who are within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

Karen Buck: The number of employees who are within one year of the official retirement age (age 60) is 424, and the number of those who are on extended sick leave (over 6 months) is 11.
	The Department is committed to managing sick absence effectively and to putting in place the recommendations of the 'Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector' report. The DfT Board takes an active interest in the issue of attendance management, and a number of steps have already been taken.
	The 'Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector' report covers a requirement for Departments to demonstrate progress against four generic recommendations:
	line managers are trained in both systems and procedures and the skills to deal with absence management;
	departmental HR support should enable moves towards integrating absence and performance management;
	all public sector organisations should review individual cases and case management arrangements for long-term sick absences (e.g. over six months);
	departments should consider whether recruitment procedures are robust in terms of pre-employment checks as to an individual's absence record.
	The consumption data has been 'weather corrected' by the Building Research Establishment as part of their work in analysing the annual Government energy data.
	The Department is on course to meet the target in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate to source at least 10 per cent. electricity from renewable sources by 2008, and a range of actions are currently under way in our HQ buildings, including the commissioning of a Carbon Trust energy audit, to minimise our energy usage. Our executive agencies are undertaking similar actions to meet the energy targets contained in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate.

SRA (Former Staff)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many former Strategic Rail Authority staff have been employed by his Department.

Derek Twigg: 161 former SRA staff have been employed by the Department for Transport.

SRA (Former Staff)

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff the Strategic Rail Authority employed prior to its abolition.

Derek Twigg: As at 31 March 2005, before functions and staff began to transfer to successor organisations, the Strategic Rail Authority employed 404 staff.

Statutory Instruments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many statutory instruments introduced by his Department had to be (a) withdrawn, (b) amended by a further statutory instrument and (c) reprinted because of defective drafting in each session since 1997; and what steps he (1) is taking and (2) plans to take to prevent this.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport was formed in May 2002 since then no statutory instrument produced by it has been withdrawn or reprinted on account of defective drafting.
	The Department's records reveal that in that period 16 statutory instruments have been amended by a further instrument in order to correct defective drafting in an earlier instrument. This number breaks down by parliamentary Session as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200102 1 
			 200203 3 
			 200304 5 
			 200405 7 
		
	
	During this period the Department produced over 520 general statutory instruments.
	The Department endeavours to keep the number of defective instruments to a minimum through the provision of training for officials involved in this work and a system involving checking by two lawyers in addition to the principal drafter. The present arrangements are being reviewed.

Tyne and Wear (Financial Bids)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what payments have been made to Newcastle city council and its partners for the Quayside Transit System, broken down by year.

Karen Buck: The Department has paid Newcastle city council a total of 7.211 million for the Quayside Public Transport Scheme, broken down by financial year as follows:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 200102 1.050 
			 200203 0.526 
			 200304 0.708 
			 200405 2.110 
			 200506 0.317

Tyne and Wear (Financial Bids)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when rail passenger partnership funding for the reopening of the Newcastle-Blyth-Ashington freight line to passenger traffic will be made available.

Derek Twigg: The Rail Passenger Partnership fund was suspended by the Strategic Rail Authority in January 2003. No new projects have been funded since that date.

US Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions since 2001 US-registered aircraft tail number (a) N44982, formerly N8068V and N379P and (b) N313P has landed in the United Kingdom; and at which airports.

Karen Buck: The Department for Transport has no record of these aircraft landing at UK airports, which indicates that if these aircraft landed in the UK they were either not involved in civil commercial transport or that they were stopping for technical purposes, for example, to refuel. As such they would not require the Secretary of State for Transport's permission.

Vehicle Accidents (Airport Transport)

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicle accidents where drivers of airport transport had exceeded the driving time limit set down in the UK domestic drivers' hours rules have been recorded in the last three years.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is not available.

Vehicle Certification Agency

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the salary of the chief executive of the Vehicle Certification Agency differs from that of his predecessor.

Karen Buck: The current chief executive of the Vehicle Certification Agency (VGA) was recruited through fair and open competition and was appointed in post from 19 April 2004 on a three-year fixed-term contract.
	The advertised salary at the time reflected the competitive market conditions relevant for the skills and experience the agency was looking for when the post was advertised. The competition field was strong and the most suitable candidate was appointed as chief executive based on competency skills and experience identified by the selection panel.

Violence Against Passengers

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Guildford of 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 1151W, on violence against passengers, how many victims of violence were recorded by British Transport Police in each police force area in England and Wales in each year since 199899.

Derek Twigg: The number of victims of violence recorded by the British Transport Police (BTP) in each year in each police force area in England and Wales since 19992000 is given in the following table. The data for 199899 data is unavailable by police force area.
	
		
			 Police force area 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 35 41 35 43 54 43 
			 Bedfordshire 14 17 25 21 27 33 
			 Cambridgeshire 25 35 13 23 28 31 
			 Cheshire 42 32 38 53 54 69 
			 City of London Police 71 81 67 101 131 145 
			 Cleveland 6 11 7 13 30 27 
			 Cumbria 3 8 9 9 14 12 
			 Derbyshire 16 22 10 21 11 17 
			 Devon and Cornwall 27 27 38 45 48 49 
			 Dorset 15 12 7 18 18 8 
			 Durham 9 9 9 6 11 15 
			 Dyfed Powys 4 2 1 2 7 15 
			 Essex 51 76 90 102 120 174 
			 Gloucester 3 4 8 5 7 1 
			 Great Manchester 101 117 128 125 182 160 
			 Gwent 19 10 19 15 15 15 
			 Hampshire 53 65 47 76 127 94 
			 Hertfordshire 57 62 100 120 146 156 
			 Humberside 12 30 26 31 32 26 
			 Kent 132 134 171 256 313 250 
			 Lancashire 30 37 41 60 57 79 
			 Leicestershire 19 12 23 24 19 18 
			 Lincolnshire 8 2 9 5 10 21 
			 Merseyside 252 218 242 230 281 254 
			 Metropolitan Police 2,779 2,509 2,256 2,605 2,833 3,122 
			 Ministry of Defence 0 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Norfolk 12 3 14 12 34 44 
			 North Wales 10 8 13 12 36 23 
			 North Yorkshire 9 20 20 24 34 31 
			 Northamptonshire 2 2 2 4 3 9 
			 Northumbria 21 22 22 36 88 101 
			 Nottinghamshire 13 22 23 20 26 28 
			 South Wales 58 76 69 84 92 104 
			 South Yorkshire 25 20 21 48 46 40 
			 Staffordshire 9 14 9 10 8 12 
			 Suffolk 3 8 8 19 13 13 
			 Surrey 83 98 118 141 153 157 
			 Sussex 133 185 158 188 219 204 
			 Thames Valley 59 74 82 129 130 202 
			 Warwickshire 4 3 11 10 10 12 
			 West Mercia 16 20 26 33 35 41 
			 West Midlands Police 96 129 127 142 138 220 
			 West Yorkshire 83 116 141 238 255 261 
			 Wiltshire 9 8 11 9 10 18 
		
	
	The Home Office introduced a National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) that all police forces across England and Wales were required to adopt. BTP adopted this standard on 1 April 2002. The impact of the new recording standard saw an increase in recorded crime nationally.
	BTP have also been proactive in encouraging victims of assaults to report these offences.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Government Art Collection

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated cost of damage to the Government Art Collection was in the past 12 months for which figures are available; which items were damaged; how the damage occurred in each case; and whether restoration was possible.

David Lammy: The estimated cost of restoration work resulting from damage to GAC works of art in the last 12 months is 20,249, of which 1,142 was paid by the GAC The works of art affected are as follows:
	Beatrice marble bust by F Saul
	The bust was chipped during transport. Restoration was completed at a cost of 550.
	Embassy (evening) light-box by Catherine Yass
	Received a scratch and scuffs to the surface while on display. Restoration is possible; the estimate is 310.
	Lady Arabella Stuart (15751615) Cousin of King James I and VI oil painting by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger
	The canvas was punctured while on display. Restoration was completed at a cost of 282.
	Sir Henry Chamberlain Bt (17731829) Diplomat oil painting by an unknown 19th century British artist
	The canvas was punctured while in temporary storage. Restoration was completed at a cost of 1,642.
	High Treason, Court of Criminal Appeal: the Trial of Sir Roger Casement 1916 oil painting by John Lavery
	The canvas was punctured while on display. Restoration was completed at a cost (including transport) of 14,465.
	Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford (16761745) Prime Minister oil painting by Jean Baptiste van Loo (Studio)
	The canvas was punctured while on display. Restoration is possible; the estimate is 3,000.
	Devotional screenprint by Sonia Boyce
	Received a scratch and scuff to the surface while on display. Restoration is under discussion with the artist.

London Olympics

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the acquisition of land for Olympic use.

Richard Caborn: The London Development Agency (IDA) is responsible for acquiring the land in East London that will be needed for the Olympics and has recently made two compulsory purchase orders to this end. Other regional development agencies (RDAs) at Olympic sites elsewhere in the UK will also be able to acquire land (compulsorily or by agreement) if that proves necessary. Under the London Olympics Bill, currently before Parliament, the new Olympic Delivery Authority will have powers to acquire land by agreementincluding, with the consent of the Secretary of State, on the same terms as for compulsory purchases.
	The Government made an amendment to the London Olympics Bill at Report Stage, on 6 December, which will ensure the necessary land can be assembled without delay and used for Olympic development. Where a RDA purchases land for the purpose of preparing for the Olympics, the amendment has the effect of removing the need for a special parliamentary process to approve the compulsory purchase of 'special land' where equivalent land is not being provided in exchange; clarifying that 'special land', once acquired, can be built on; allowing the compulsory purchase of Crown land and any interest in Crown land; and extinguishing all existing rights over the land acquired (while providing for compensation to those who have rights removed).
	Anyone owning an interest in land that is being acquired by compulsory purchase will be entitled to fair compensation, based on the principle that they should be paid neither more or less than their loss. If the amount payable cannot be agreed between the parties it will be settled by the Lands Tribunal.

London Olympics

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to ensure that firms engaged in construction of facilities for the Olympics provide adequate levels of training to ensure a sustainable skilled work force.

Richard Caborn: The 'Procurement Principles' published by the interim Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in Septemberwhich underpin the development of the ODA's procurement strategyidentify the importance of a programme of skills and training to maximise local benefits and secure the wider economic dividend.
	A key assessment criterion in the selection of contractors will be their commitment to working with the ODA to deliver a range of benefits including training and supply chain initiatives.
	In addition, the London Development Agency, working with others such as the Learning and Skills Council, is developing a Local Employment and Training Framework which aims to maximise the potential capacity of the local labour market.

School Sports

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) advice and (b) other support her Department provides to (i) schools and (ii) the Department for Education and Skills to encourage a wider range of sporting activities to be provided in schools.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Skills share an ambitious Public Service Agreement target to increase the percentage of 5 to 16-year-olds who spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and school sport, within and beyond the curriculum, to 75 per cent. by 2006 and 85 per cent. by 2008. Long-termby 2010we want to offer children the chance to do at least four hours of sport every week.
	The target is being delivered through the national PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy being implemented jointly by both Departments. Over 1.5billion is being invested over the five years to 2008 to deliver the strategy through nine inter-linked programmes of work.
	We have produced a range of guidance documents including:
	'High Quality PE and Sport for Young PeopleA Guide to recognising and achieving high quality PE and sport in schools and clubs';
	'Do You Have High Quality PE and Sport in Your SchoolA guide to self-evaluating and improving the quality of PE and school sport';
	'Swimming Charter';
	'Primary Playground Development'; and
	'Dance Links';
	which provide information and advice to school sport partnerships, schools, sport clubs, local education authorities, national governing bodies, county sport partnerships and others.
	The 200405 School Sport Survey, the largest in Europe, confirms that the national strategy is on track to meet the public service agreement target. The survey found that overall 69 per cent. of pupils in the 11,400 schools taking part were spending at least two hours in a typical week on high quality PE and school sport. In 200304 the figure was 62 per cent.
	Copies of the guidance documents and the survey reports have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

English Regions

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals for regional question time sessions in the House for each of the English regions.

Geoff Hoon: I organise the question rota on the basis of ministerial responsibilities. Issues relating to particular regions can be raised with the relevant departmental Ministers. Issues relating to the work of the Government offices for the regions can be raised during oral questions to the Deputy Prime Minister.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

David Amess: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement;
	(2)  which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement.

Nigel Griffiths: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons does not sponsor any advisory non-departmental public bodies.

Parliamentary Questions

David Amess: To ask the Leader of the House what the target time is for answering written parliamentary questions.

Geoff Hoon: Ministers have an obligation to Parliament to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their named day question on the named day and to endeavour to answer an ordinary written question within a working week of it being tabled.
	Ministers and their Departments should make every effort to ensure that the live bundle of questions still awaiting a substantive reply should be kept to a minimum at all times.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

UK Passport Fees

Lynne Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to his written statement of 17 November 2005, Official Report, column 76WS, on UK passport fees, if he will break down the elements which contribute to the increase; and how much is accounted for by increased production costs.

Andy Burnham: I have been asked to reply.
	The passport fee increase reflects the cost of implementing key anti-fraud measures to combat the rapidly growing threat of passport and identity fraud and forgery. This increase will support enhanced background checks on applicants, the gradual introduction of biometric passports and face-to-face interviews for first-time applicants.
	The component elements of the standard passport fee are published on the UK Passport Service official website www.passport.gov.uk Reproduced in the table as follows. With the exception of a modest increase in administration costs of 0.22 per application all other aspects of the increase directly relate to costs associated with the service provided to the customer.
	
		
			   
		
		
			 Application processing 14.02 
			 Consular protection 9.65 
			 Book production 5.00 
			 Secure delivery 3.00 
			 Anti-fraud initiatives 14.51 
			 Administrative 4.82

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Devolved Legislatures

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General what his policy is with regard to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Law Officers' Department giving evidence to the (i) Scottish Parliament, (ii) National Assembly for Wales and (iii)Northern Ireland Assembly committees; and to what categories of document he gives (A) full access, (B)restricted access and (C) no access to the (1) Scottish Parliament, (2) NAW, (3) Northern Ireland Assembly and (4) House of Commons select committees.

Mike O'Brien: Requests for the attendance of Ministers or officials to give evidence to the devolved legislatures, and for the provision of information to the assemblies, will be considered on a case by case basis. This consideration will reflect: the principles set out in the Cabinet Office guidance Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees (July 2005); the policy outlined in the Department for Constitutional Affairs' Devolution Guidance Note #12 Attendance of UK Ministers and Officials at Committees of the devolved legislatures; and the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act. The principles underlying the provision of information to House of Commons Select Committees are set out in Departmental Evidence and Response to Select Committees, particularly sections 4B and 4C.

European Court of Human Rights

David Amess: To ask the Solicitor-General how many United Kingdom cases are awaiting hearing before the European Court of Human Rights.

Mike O'Brien: Oral hearings before the Court are now the exception rather than the rule. There are 88 cases against the United Kingdom pending before the European Court of Human Rights that have been declared admissible by the Court. A further 352 cases have been communicated to the Government on which an admissibility decision is awaited.
	I have now ascertained that, regrettably, the information provided in an earlier answer to a question by my hon. Friend the former member for Tooting (Mr.Cox) on the same issue on 26 October 2004, Official Report, column 1104W, was not accurate in that it appears to have included a group of cases known as Widowers cases as admissible which had only been communicated. There are 71 Widowers cases which have been declared admissible and 319 which have been communicated but on which there has not yet been a decision on admissibility.

NORTHERN IRELAND

CCTV

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which groups have been consulted regarding possible CCTV cameras in West Belfast; and on what dates meetings have taken place.

Peter Hain: The Chief Constable has advised me that West Belfast District Command Unit has consulted all sections of the local community including clergy, elected representatives, statutory and voluntary groups and the Northern Ireland Office. This consultation process took place over the past three years, and is on-going.

Fair Recruitment

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Northern Ireland what account the Equality Commission takes of recent recruitment when examining the religious breakdown of the public sector work force in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: I understand that the chief executive of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, MsEvelyn Collins, has written to the hon. Gentleman in the following terms:
	The Equality Commission considers that recent recruitment is an important component when examining the overall trends in the composition of the public sector work force in Northern Ireland. Public authorities are required to monitor the composition of their work force, applicants, appointees, leavers and promotees. This information is provided to the Commission on an annual basis. The Commission monitors overall compositional trends and makes this information public in its annual monitoring report, Profiling the Northern Ireland Workforce. In relation to individual employers the Commission monitors employment trends through the annual monitoring returns and in greater detail through the article 55 Review process where employers analyse their own employment trends at least once every three years.

Fisheries Patrols

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patrols were undertaken by the Fisheries Conservancy Board patrol boat around the Foyle and Bush rivers on Northern Ireland's North Coast area in the last year for which figures are available; what the (a) nature and (b) extent of co-operation with the Loughs Agency patrol vessel about these patrols was; and on how many days during the 2005 angling and netting season the patrol boat was not in use.

David Hanson: In 2005, 21 boat patrols were carried out on Northern Irelands North Coast. These patrols occurred during the peak of the Foyle netting season and as such involved regular contact with the Foyle patrol boat. The North Coast patrol boat is not involved in angling enforcement. During the netting season in theFCB jurisdiction, the boat was not in use for approximately 108 days.

Home Heating Oil

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the cost of home heating oil in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The cost of home heating oil in Northern Ireland is determined by a competitive market and, on average, has been lower than the equivalent cost in the remainder of the United Kingdom.
	The competitive market reflects developments in the international oil market. Global oil prices have been high and volatile over the past eighteen months as a result of very strong growth in global demand and accompanying pressure on supplies. Most recently, disruptions to US Gulf of Mexico production and refining capacity, as a result of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, led to prices rising to record levels in early September 2005. These developments were reflected in a corresponding record increase in the price of home heating oil in Northern Ireland.
	A recovery of global oil production and refining facilities, together with a slight reduction in demand has resulted in a subsequent moderation of prices. This, in turn, has led to a corresponding reduction in the average price of home heating oil in Northern Ireland.

Isle of Man (Fishing Jurisdiction)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) discussions, (b) meetings and (c) correspondence he has had with the Isle of Man Government in relation to the extent of its fishing jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: There have been no discussions or meetings between the Isle of Man Government and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ministers in relation to extent of the Isle of Man's fishing jurisdiction. DEFRA Ministers have had correspondence from the Isle of Man Government regarding their proposal to extend the fishing jurisdiction around the island from three to 12 miles. DEFRA consulted stakeholders on this proposal in the summer and a decision on the outcome of the consultation will be communicated to the Isle of Man Government in due course.

Maritime Safety

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what publicly funded training is available for lifeguards in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK awards the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification at accredited centres across the United Kingdom including many in Northern Ireland. Provision is mainly based in local leisure centres and pool lifeguards can also train for the National Aquatic Rescue Standard.
	The RLSS UK also awards the National Beach Lifeguard Qualification and the Assistant Beach Lifesaver Award which are offered through local lifeguard clubs.

Motoring Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have been prosecuted for driving while not insured in each of the last 10 years, broken down by constituency.

David Hanson: Prosecution data are not readily available broken down by Northern Ireland constituency. The statistics included within the response are based on the 12 police divisions for the years 1994 to 1999 and police district command units for 2000 to 2003. Police district command units became operational in April 2001. However, for the purposes of comparability, calendar year 2000 data are also disaggregated by DCU, rather than police division. It is not possible to disaggregate data by DCU for years prior to 2000.
	With the exception of overall totals, figures in table 1 should not be compared with those in table 2, as table 1 figures relate to the police division to which an offence was reported, while those included within table 2 relate to the police district command unit in which an offenders address falls.
	Data beyond 2003 will become available in early 2006.
	
		Table 1: Prosecutions for 'No insurance' by police division(3) 199499
		
			 Police division 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
		
		
			 A (Musgrave Street) 429 435 402 400 195 259 
			 B (Grosvenor Road) 515 491 507 460 341 350 
			 D (Antrim Road) 1,084 970 747 716 546 633 
			 E (Strandtown) 439 439 420 436 237 234 
			 G (Newtownards) 526 395 375 363 238 233 
			 H (Armagh) 379 445 307 348 365 370 
			 J (Portadown) 392 446 352 328 203 305 
			 K (Dungannon) 405 467 374 335 221 226 
			 L (Enniskillen) 473 507 469 483 566 542 
			 N (Strand Road) 703 604 512 467 519 416 
			 O (Coleraine) 388 353 333 254 222 254 
			 P (Ballymena) 399 354 300 251 195 232 
			 Missing 0 0 0 0 13 7 
			 Total 6,132 5,906 5,098 4,841 3,861 4,061 
		
	
	(3)Figures relate to the police division to which an offence was reported. Missing data relate to those offenders for which police division information is not available.
	Notes:
	1.Offences include 'no insurance' and 'causing no insurance'.
	2.Police stations included within brackets are the divisional headquarters.
	3.Figures are based on the principal rule, thus only the most serious offence for which an offender is charged is recorded.
	
		Table 2: Prosecutions for 'No insurance' by district command unit(4) 200003
		
			 District command unit 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Antrim 60 78 98 96 
			 Ards 107 121 139 119 
			 Armagh 76 109 132 152 
			 Banbridge 37 53 66 70 
			 Belfast East 95 118 189 154 
			 Belfast North 198 292 314 301 
			 Belfast South 84 125 121 105 
			 Belfast West 114 168 297 187 
			 Ballymena 72 92 149 88 
			 Ballymoney 28 49 56 58 
			 Carrickfergus 52 70 77 79 
			 Coleraine 66 88 129 93 
			 Cookstown 48 76 87 63 
			 Craigavon 126 145 235 271 
			 Castlereagh 61 68 97 73 
			 Dungannon and South Tyrone 97 161 138 114 
			 Down 87 132 146 124 
			 Fermanagh 106 148 221 165 
			 Foyle 277 361 316 353 
			 Larne 53 64 91 59 
			 Limavady 57 61 79 90 
			 Lisburn 128 163 212 241 
			 Magherafelt 53 66 88 55 
			 Moyle 39 26 52 41 
			 Newtownabbey 77 113 135 131 
			 North Down 81 102 182 120 
			 Newry and Mourne 171 207 194 235 
			 Omagh 137 180 181 147 
			 Strabane 93 121 161 108 
			 Missing 65 82 126 97 
			 Total 2,745 3,639 4,508 3,989 
		
	
	(4)Figures relate to the police district command unit in which an offender's address falls. Missing data relate to those offenders for which DCU information is not available.
	Notes:
	1.Offences include 'no insurance' and 'causing no insurance'.
	2.Figures are based on the principal rule, thus only the most serious offence for which an offender is charged is recorded.

Murder and Manslaughter

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were (a) charged with and (b) convicted of (i) murder and (ii)manslaughter in Northern Ireland in each year since 1995.

David Hanson: Figures for the number of offences of murder and manslaughter cleared by a charge/summons are provided in Table 1 and cover the financial years 199596 to 200405.
	The prosecution and conviction statistics included within Table 2 cover the calendar years 1995 to 2003. Data beyond 2003 will become available in early 2006.
	It should be noted that statistics in Table 1 are based on offences cleared and subsequently charged, while data in Table 2 relate to the number of persons prosecuted and convicted. As such, comparisons between the two tables are not appropriate.
	
		Table 1: Offences of murder and manslaughter cleared by charge/summons by the Police in Northern Ireland: 199596 to 200405
		
			  Cleared by charge/summons(5) 
			 Financial year Murder Manslaughter 
		
		
			 199596 14 0 
			 199697 23 2 
			 199798 29 0 
			 199899 29 2 
			 19992000 25 3 
			 200001 25 1 
			 200102 28 4 
			 200203 27 0 
			 200304 21 3 
			 200405 26 2 
		
	
	(5)Please note that the figures relate to the number of crimes that have been cleared by way of charge/summons. This does not equate to the number of persons who have been made amenable.
	Source:
	Central Statistics Unit, PSNI
	
		Table 2: Northern Ireland prosecutions and convictions for murder and manslaughter1995 to 2003
		
			  Murder Manslaughter 
			  Prosecutions Convictions Prosecutions Convictions 
		
		
			 1995 55 19 6 5 
			 1996 27 13 8 8 
			 1997 19 3 6 6 
			 1998 40 17 9 8 
			 1999 40 13 15 15 
			 2000 21 13 10 9 
			 2001 9 6 8 7 
			 2002 18 14 4 4 
			 2003 25 18 10 7 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures exclude attempts.
	Source:
	Statistics and Research Branch, Northern Ireland Office

Police

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by name each group consulted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland before the installation of CCTV cameras in (a) East Belfast, (b) North Belfast and (c) South Belfast; and how many times each group was consulted in each case.

Peter Hain: The Chief Constable has advised me that no precise records are held that can show exactly how many times consultation occurred. In addition, the confidentiality of many community consultations and contacts must be respected.
	East Belfast
	The CCTV cameras in East Belfast were installed in three phases.
	(i) A single camera was installed at Albert Bridge/Lagan Walkway in 1998 after consultation with Laganside Corporation, Belfast city council and BT who were the partners in that CCTV scheme. Its role was primarily to prevent antisocial behaviour in the new Laganside development area.
	(ii) The second phase was in 2001 and consisted of two cameras at Madrid Street and Newtownards Road respectively. There was no consultation with community groups prior to the initiation of planning work.
	Sinn Fein and Loyalist community representatives were informed about the positioning of the Madrid Street and Newtownards Road cameras in 2001 prior to the installation of the equipment.
	(iii) The third phase consisted of five cameras that were erected in 2002 after the prolonged violence that summer. No consultation was carried out prior to the installation as there was a clear operational need to provide a technological alternative to the use of large numbers of police and military personnel in the Cluan Place/Short Strand area. Representatives from Sinn Fein, DUP, UUP and a loyalist community group were informed of the intention to erect cameras prior to their installation.
	South Belfast
	The CCTV system in operation in South Belfast was developed more than 10 years ago. As with most developments in the city centre, police would have spoken with city council, planning authorities, the Chamber of Commerce and other relevant groups in the area.
	North Belfast
	Between 1 June 2001 and 31 May 2002 174 riots occurred in North Belfast in which 723 police officers were injured. The initial roll out of CCTV in North Belfast was undertaken by PSNI as an urgent response to the on-going interface violence in the DCU, with no time for community consultation.
	The initial cameras were situated at the main flashpoints including Limestone Road, Ardoyne Shopfronts, North Queen Street/Duncairn Gardens, Whitewell Road and Ardoyne Road.
	The second phase roll out allowed for wider community-based consultation, including community representatives, political representatives and other interested parties. The exact timing of such contacts is not held.

Primary Schools (Intake)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Department of Education funded primary schools in Northern Ireland had a September intake of fewer than (a) 12 and (b) nine pupils in P1 classes.

Angela Smith: The requested information is as follows:
	Number of funded primary schools with fewer than 12 pupils in Year 1290.
	Number of funded primary schools with fewer than nine pupils in Year 1193.

Sports Academy

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the decision to establish a sports academy at the university of Ulster has been subject to an equality impact assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: In line with legislative requirements, the university carries out equality impact assessments where there is evidence to indicate that there may be differential impacts on one or more of the categories set out in the section 75 legislation; in this case, I understand that the university determined that it was not required.

Surplus School Places

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what strategic planning his Department has undertaken to address surplus school places in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Surplus places are removed from the schools estate through closures and amalgamations, and through the capital programme which provides schools to meet long-term demand when buildings are replaced. The education and library boards and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools are aware of the need to take action to tackle surplus places and I have offered some financial support towards the costs of bringing forward rationalisation proposals.
	Following a review of the procurement and delivery arrangements for the schools' estate earlier this year, the Department of Education has been examining how to improve the planning of school provision in future, including the need for rationalisation, and intends to provide guidance to school authorities on longer term planning of the estate.

Sustainable Development

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources have been invested by the Department of the Environment in taking forward the sustainable development strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: It is recognised that in recent years a substantial amount of the Department of the Environment's environmental policy resource was directed towards reducing the backlog in the transposition of EU directives. This had a detrimental effect on the production of the Northern Ireland sustainable development strategy. With work on the directives largely up to date the Department allocated resources to take forward the sustainable development strategy in April 2004. From September 2005 this team was increased to six staff equating in monetary terms to c. 210,000 annually.

Tourism

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to emphasise (a) the Ulster Scots connection and (b) the Scots Irish influence in the promotion of Northern Ireland as a tourist destination, with particular reference to visitors from the United States.

Angela Smith: Activity to harness the tourism opportunity presented by the Ulster Scots culture requires close working between a number of agencies.
	In 200304 Tourism Ireland Ltd. (TIL) undertook a number of activities specifically aimed at the Ulster Scots audience in the United States. Advertisements were placed in US-based publications and TIL also distributed Ulster Scots Agency publications to key players throughout the United States. In addition, research undertaken by TIL in 2003 on the Ulster Scots market was used to inform the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's marketing activities in the current year.
	TIL has the job to attract visitors to Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) has the responsibility to ensure that they have a worthwhile, authentic and memorable experience when they get here.
	In order to deliver on the potential of the Ulster Scots connection, NITB has identified the need for a brochure which will tell the Northern Ireland story and encourage additional visits. The NITB has worked with the Ulster Scots Agency in the preparation of a new publication targeted specifically at United States visitors. The publication will be available in January 2006.
	In 2007 Northern Ireland will be featured in the Smithsonian Institution's annual Folklife festival which takes place in Washington DC and attracts over one million visitors. The Smithsonian Institution intends to present a balanced, multi-faceted programme reflecting Northern Ireland's contemporary life. Ulster Scots traditions are included in the research for the festival programme.

Union Flag

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what buildings in Northern Ireland are designated as Government buildings for the purposes of flying the Union flag on designated days; on what date Churchill House was removed as a Government building for that purpose; and what other recent changes have been made to the list of Government buildings so designated.

David Hanson: The specified Government buildings are listed in Part I of the Schedule of the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000. These are Adelaide House, Castle Buildings, Churchill House, Clarence House, Dundonald House, Netherleigh House and Rathgael House. There have been no amendments to Part I of the Schedule since the regulations came into force and therefore Churchill House has not been removed.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Assets

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the 10 most valuable (a) movable and (b) immovable assets owned by his Department.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has listed all its valuable movable and immovable assets, as underpinned in the 200405 resource accounts:
	
		000
		
			  Net book value 
		
		
			 Movable  
			 Equipment 62 
			 IT hardware 47 
			 Software 35 
			   
			 Immovable  
			 Dover House, London 1,090 
			 Fixtures and fittings 121

Departmental Estate

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what (a) land and (b) property his Department (i) owns and (ii) rents in each constituency; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not own or rent any land or own any properties. However, the Office rents two buildings, which are detailed as follows:
	
		
			 Name and address Constituency 
		
		
			 Dover House, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2AU Cities of London and Westminster 
			 1 Melville Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7HW Edinburgh North and Leith 
		
	
	The Office also has a small presence in the following properties:
	
		
			 Name and address Constituency 
		
		
			 Meridian Court, Cadogan Street, Glasgow, G2 6AT Glasgow Central 
			 50 Frederick Street, Edinburgh, EH2 ING Edinburgh North and Leith

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	The number of civil servants working in the Office can be found in Civil Service Statistics, published by the Cabinet Office. This publication is available in the Library or online at: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_service/statistics/contents_for_ civil_service_statistics_2004_report/index.asp
	The Scotland Office has not employed any contractors.
	The total numbers of temporary staff in the Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate-General was:
	
		
			  Number of individual temporary staff 
		
		
			 19992000 13 
			 200001 16 
			 200102 19 
			 200203 15 
			 200304 20 
			 200405 6

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the (a) total and(b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed identity card scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has a very limited number of executive functions and at this stage we do not anticipate any need to integrate our IT system with the identity card scheme.

Sick Leave

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of his Department's employees who are within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on loan from the Scottish Executive or the Department for Constitutional Affairs. No staff within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Employment Rights

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reason was for the recent withdrawal of booklets on employment rights by the Department; and if he will re-introduce the publication of those booklets.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 7 December 2005
	It is our aim to provide up to date information that meets our end users' needs. Our end users have generally told us that they do not need detailed explanations of the law, but rather practical advice and guidance on what they should actually do in respect of employment issues. The Department decided that the best way to deliver this service was through frontline providers such as ACAS who are closer to our end users. ACAS produces a series of booklets summarising individual rights and runs a helpline to provide practical advice. I understand that feedback on these has generally been very positive.
	The Department continues to provide full explanations of employment law for those customers who need it on the internet. Providing this information via the internet enables officials to update text easily and avoid delays to users. Special measures are in place for hard copies of these publications to be provided for those with disabilities or without access to the internet.

EU Tariffs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the EU's average applied tariff rate on (a) agricultural and (b) non agricultural imports from the rest of the world was on the last date for which figures are available; and what the average rates would be if the EU's current offer in the World Trade Organisation is accepted.

Ian Pearson: The information is as follows.
	(a) The EU's average applied tariff on agricultural imports in 2005, as reported in the WTO statistical database, is 5.9 per cent. The EU offer represents an average tariff reduction of 39 per cent. for the EU agricultural tariff schedule, but the resulting average applied tariff will depend on which tariff lines are selected as sensitive products.
	(b) The EU's average applied tariff on non-agricultural imports in 2005, as reported in the WTOstatistical database, is 4.0 per cent. If the EU offer is accepted the resulting average tariff would be 2.3 per cent.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account was taken by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in advancing a guarantee to Mabey and Johnson Ltd. on 30 August for the supply of flyovers and bridges in the Philippines of a complaint registered against the project with the Philippines ombudsman on 9 August.

Ian Pearson: ECGD was made aware of the complaint which is being investigated by the Philippines ombudsman. It consists of a number of unproven allegations relating to an earlier project. As such, ECGD concluded that there were no grounds to withhold its guarantee.

Fur Import Ban

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to ban the import of cat and dog fur from China; and what penalties he has power to impose on those found to have breached such a ban.

Ian Pearson: The Government share the ethical abhorrence felt on hearing reports of cruelty to domestic cats and dogs. However, to date, the Government have no evidence of imports of domestic cat and dog fur into the UK. In a statement to Parliament on 28 January 2005 the Government made it clear that they are committed to establishing the facts about this issue and taking practical and proportionate action in response. We continue to believe, given EU competence on commercial policy, that any action is best pursued at EU level. We continue to discuss this with the European Commission.

Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the timetable is for his Department's proposals to amend the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

Alun Michael: Officials at the Department of Trade and Industry and Welsh Assembly Government are currently preparing an analysis of the responses to the consultation and will be publishing it shortly. We have already committed to consult further on amendments to the legislation. Current plans are to issue this consultation in spring next year. The timetable for amendment to the legislation will be dependant on the outcome of this consultation and parliamentary business.

Operating and Financial Review

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the Government's implementation of the Modernisation Directive requirements for an expanded directors' report for large and medium-sized companies following the Government's decision to abolish the operating and financial review;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on his Department's implementation of the Companies Act 1985 (Operating and Financial Review and Directors' Report etc.) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1011).

Alun Michael: The Government intend to bring forward regulations, before the recess, under section 257 of the Companies Act 1985 to repeal the provisions of that Act which impose obligations on companies in relation to the preparation of operating and financial reviews. The regulations will leave in place those provisions of the Companies Act 1985 relating to the requirements to prepare a business review which are necessary to implement the Accounts Modernisation Directive (2003/51/EC). We will also bring forward amendments to the Company Law Reform Bill in due course.

Research and Development

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value is of research and development grants awarded to companies in Northamptonshire in each year since 1997.

Alun Michael: From 1997 to 2004, businesses in Northamptonshire were awarded a total of 1,567,699 through Grant for Research and Development and the legacy Smart scheme as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Value of offers () 
		
		
			 1997 131,453 
			 1998 214,051 
			 1999 260,576 
			 2000 316,425 
			 2001 203,800 
			 2002 285,000 
			 2003 63,228 
			 2004 94,166

Research and Development

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many research and development grants have been awarded to companies in the (a) micro, (b) research, (c) development and (d) exceptional category of his Department's research and development programme in each year for which figures are available, broken down by region; what the total value was of private sector contributions to funded projects in each year and category; and what the nearest available equivalent information is for predecessor schemes in each of the previous five years.

Alun Michael: The number of grant for research and development awards since the product's introduction in June 2003 is shown in the following tables together with the total value of private sector contributions.
	
		Number of grant for research and development offers200405
		
			 Region Micro Research Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 10 28 26 1 
			 East Midlands 1 12 9  
			 London 3 29 13 2 
			 North East 5 6 16  
			 North West 5 17 27 2 
			 South East 11 13 17 2 
			 South West 6 6 7  
			 West Midlands 4 10 15  
			 Yorks and Humber 14 21 14  
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million) 1.11 5.93 32.89 4.98 
		
	
	
		200304
		
			 Region Micro Research Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 14 32 11 7 
			 East Midlands 13 7 10  
			 London 14 24 13  
			 North East 3 1 6  
			 North West 29 17 17 1 
			 South East 14 24 29 1 
			 South West 14 4 10 2 
			 West Midlands 7 4 13  
			 Yorks and Humber 16 14 17 1 
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million) 2.17 5.31 28.91 8.30 
		
	
	Information for the legacy Smart scheme is shown in the following tables:
	
		Number of Smart offers200405
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 
			 East Midlands 
			 London  1   
			 North East  2   
			 North West  1 1  
			 South East 
			 South West 
			 West Midlands 
			 Yorks and Humber 
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million)  0.06 0.21  
		
	
	
		200304
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 7 81 20 2 
			 East Midlands 4 22 8  
			 London 2 42 13 1 
			 North East 3 19 5  
			 North West 4 57 19 1 
			 South East 20 84 29 2 
			 South West 7 8 1  
			 West Midlands 2 8 2  
			 Yorks and Humber 5 38 14  
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million) 0.48 5.21 25.66 5.01 
		
	
	
		200203
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 13 104 49 1 
			 East Midlands 7 31 29 2 
			 London 18 43 12 1 
			 North East 8 24 4  
			 North West 27 74 32 1 
			 South East 20 127 48 3 
			 South West 21 29 15  
			 West Midlands 1 28 14  
			 Yorks and Humber 28 37 32 1 
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million) 1.38 6.51 52.97 6.72 
		
	
	
		200102
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptions 
		
		
			 East 5 48 28  
			 East Midlands 18 22 7  
			 London 7 26 5  
			 North East 1 14 1 1 
			 North West 14 69 28  
			 South East 12 69 19 3 
			 South West 27 20 18 1 
			 West Midlands 13 33 15 1 
			 Yorks and Humber 14 44 31  
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million) 1.03 5.05 34.50 5.71 
		
	
	
		200001
		
			 Region Micro Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East  38 20 1 
			 East Midlands  25 10  
			 London  7 7  
			 North East  7 3  
			 North West  36 26  
			 South East  45 30 2 
			 South West  16 10  
			 West Midlands  33 15  
			 Yorks and Humber  26 24  
			 Centrally administered(6) 108   9 
			 Minimum private sector contribution ( million) 1.02 3.42 29.47 10.36 
		
	
	
		19992000
		
			 Region Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 44 21  
			 East Midlands 18 16  
			 London 11 4  
			 North East 19 12  
			 North West 16 8  
			 South East 21 19  
			 South West 22 14  
			 West Midlands 31 6  
			 Yorks and Humber 32 22  
			 Centrally administered(6)   3 
			 Minimum private sector  contribution ( million) 3.09 21.17 2.41 
		
	
	
		199899
		
			 Region Feasibility Development Exceptional 
		
		
			 East 28 22  
			 East Midlands 26 14  
			 London 12 10  
			 North East 16 8  
			 North West 17 16  
			 South East 35 22  
			 South West 26 16  
			 West Midlands 32 17  
			 Yorks and Humber 39 24  
			 Centrally administered(6)   3 
			 Minimum private sector  contribution ( million) 3.28 27.97 2.64 
		
	
	(6)Prior to August 2000, exceptional projects were administered centrally by SBS.

Small Businesses

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry what progress he has made in his discussions with Government Departments towards implementing a mandatory small business research initiative programme.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, mandated departments to participate in the Small Business Research Initiative in the Budget on 16 March this year and the DTI's Small Business Service will shortly be publishing the overall performance figures, for 200304 and 200405.
	The Government are taking steps to improve disclosure of SBRI performance by Departments and a new system of record keeping will be in place from April 2006.

Small Businesses

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria he will use to ascertain whether the mandatory Small Business Research Initiative is a success.

Alun Michael: The Small Business Research Initiative target is that at least 2.5 per cent. of the value of the extramural research and development contracts of Government Departments' and agencies' will be placed with small firms. The Initiative will be considered a success when we are able to demonstrate that this has been achieved.

Small Businesses

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have started in Coventry, South with the help of the Small Business Service since its inception; and how much funding was disbursed by the Small Business Service to these businesses.

Alun Michael: I understand that Business Link Coventry and Warwickshire, has helped 455 individuals in Coventry, South with their business start up plans. Of these 60 are known for certain to have started a business.
	The support offered to new businesses does not include the provision of start up grants. Since 2000 I understand that Business Link Coventry and Warwickshire has spent some 600,000 of its funding on helping start-ups in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.

Telephone Preference Service

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1360W, on the telephone preference service, how many (a) informal warning letters the Information Commissioner has issued to companies in each of the last five years in respect of breaching the telephone preference scheme and (b) companies have received (i) more than one informalwarning letter, (ii) between two and 10 informal warning letters and (iii) in excess of 10 informal warning letters.

Alun Michael: I am advised that as explained in the Commissioner's previous correspondence about statistics, the database that the Commissioner's office uses to record complaints about breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (PECR), which includes the TPS scheme, does not enable his office to determine how many of the complaints they receive about telephone calls are TPS registered. In addition, due to the nature of the casework management system previously used, his office is unable to provide specific numbers for telephone marketing complaints prior to 2004.
	The number of letters the Commissioner's office wrote to organisations that were alleged to be at fault was 597 in 2004 and 1,125 so far this year. The increase in complaints corresponds with the sharp increase in TPS registrations. On the issue of multiple warning letters to individual companies, his office is unable to provide precise statistics from their database, although there are a number of companies that they have written to on several occasions for potential breaches of PECR. Where it is considered that a company has persistently breached PECR, cases are sent to their new Regulatory Action Division who consider enforcement.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AIDS/HIV

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action his Department is taking to tackle AIDS and HIV in China.

Gareth Thomas: DFID is providing 25 million to tackle HIV and AIDS in China. This support is focused on helping the poorest and most vulnerable groups, especially injecting drugs users and sex workers, to benefit from prevention and care services. It also aims to increase the coverage and quality of prevention and care and to increase the capacity of the government to develop and implement effective responses to HIV and AIDS. There is a particular focus on Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in southwest China. Support is also provided to the central government and to Hunan, Hubei, Gansu, Guangxi, Jilin and Zhejiang provinces.
	DFID is discussing a new programme of up to 30 million to support the Chinese Government's plans to increase work on HIV and AIDS. This programme would be co-ordinated with the United Nations and the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria. The programme is expected to be approved in April 2006 and to last for five years.

Asian Earthquake

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the (a) organisations in receipt of monies made available by his Department in response to the recent earthquake in Kashmir and Pakistan and (b) the amounts given; and if he will break down those amounts by (i) grant and (ii)loan.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 5 December 2005
	DFID has allocated 58 million for the continuing relief effort. The details of grants provided to date in support of organisations' humanitarian response are as follows.
	
		
			 Partner Activity Amount () 
		
		
			 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)   
			 Oxfam 3,500 winterised family tents (7)998,448 
			  19,700 collapsible 10-litre jerry cans  
			  7,530 wool blankets  
			  40,000 sleeping mats  
			  20,000 tarpaulins  
			 Oxfam Water and Sanitation 560,000 
			
			 Islamic Relief 10,000 tarpaulins (7)258,000 
			  20,000 blankets  
			  1,000 winterised family tents  
			
			 Christian Aid/Church World Services 1,000 winterised tents in-kind; Programme for shelter, food and first aid. 2,000 tarps from Lahore (10,000) (8)310,000 
			
			 Save the Children UK Provision of shelter, blankets, clothing, primary health care, psycho social support to children 300,000 
			 Save the Children UK Shelter 600,000 
			
			 Save the Children India Shelter 500,000 
			
			 Action Aid Food packages, health centres, psycho social support, and shelter; 1,250 tarps from Lahore (6,100) 306,100 
			
			 Rural Support Programme Network (RSPN) Tents, food, sanitation, water; 2,750 tarps from Lahore (13,500) 313,500 
			
			 Mercy Corps Health units, emergency obstetrics and outreach 212,000 
			
			 International Health Partners Provision of various emergency medicines 50,000 
			
			 Norwegian Refugee Council Stoves and fuel 300,000 
			 Norwegian Refugee Council Shelter 700,000 
			
			 CAFOD Water and Sanitation and shelter, and cash for work; 2,000 tarps from Lahore (10,000) 310,000 
			
			 International Medical Corp (IMC) Mobile health clinics, primary health care training, distribution of hygiene kits 289,000 
			
			 GOAL 2,000 tarps from Lahore 10,000 
			
			 ACTED Shelter, toolkits and latrines 300,000 
			
			 Action Against Hunger Water and Sanitation 337,123 
			
			 Internews Communication, support to journalist training, radio distribution 300,000 
			
			 Tearfund Shelter 498,964 
			
			 Merlin To set up two field trauma units in the Panj Kot valley. Support to four Primary Health Centres and health outreach via mobile units. 800,000 
			
			 Australian Aid International Health 199,424 
			
			 UN Agencies   
			 World Health Organisation (WHO) Shipment of health and trauma kits to Pakistan (covering 40,000 people for 3 months) and programme surveillance and response teams. 1 staff secondment 3 months. 670,000 
			
			 Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) HIC module plus vehicle; other in-kind support (vehicles, staff secondments). (7)350,000 
			
			 OCHA Co-ordination and additional support to the HIC 750,000 
			
			 United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) Support for helicopters, one refueler 2,258,250 
			
			 United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) Staff secondments 50,000 
			
			 World Food Programme (WFP) Logistics support 800,000 
			
			 WFP EMOP food support 650,000 
			
			 United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS) Four vehicles to support UNDSS and relief worker safety and security (7)150,000 
			
			 International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Shelter packages including tents, stoves and cooking equipment, including 2 staff secondments 830,000 
			 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Water and Sanitation, staff secondment 1,080,000 
			
			 Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Camp Management, staff secondments 1,250,000 
			
			 Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement   
			 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Helicopters, winter clothing, tents and food in Pakistan administered Kashmir; one refueler. 2,078,250 
			
			 Federation Relief supplies for NWFP Pakistan 1,500,000 
		
	
	(7)In kind.
	(8)Including 115,000 in kind.
	All of our humanitarian assistance support through the above organisations is through grants. It does not involve loans. DFID is also providing a range of direct actions, including helicopter provision and other support for the United Nations and the funding of 78 flights for agencies of the Disasters Emergency Committee. Full details of DFID's response actions can be seen in the regular DFID Situation Reports, available at www.dfid.gov.uk.
	In addition to our humanitarian response, we are contributing 70 million over three years for the reconstruction effort. This money will be provided to support Government of Pakistan programmes. The details of how this payment will be made and audited are being finalised.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding has been allocated from his Department for the improvement of transport links (a) to and from and (b) within each British Overseas Territory in each of the last seven years.

Gareth Thomas: Our contributions to costs of maintaining or improving transport links have been included within our overall assistance. Since 1998, these have included:
	joint funding (with the European Union) of a new airport for Montserrat (around 11 million); ferry and operating subsidies for Montserrat (about 2 million annually);
	technical assistance for the extension of the airport runway in Anguilla (0.57 million); civil aviation advice for the Turks and Caicos Islands (420,000);
	an annual subsidy to maintain operation of the 'RMS St.Helena' (approximately 2 million annually);
	refurbishment of the Hill of Difficulty Road, the jetty and the slipway at Bounty Bay in Pitcairn (2.1 million);
	technical support for roads improvements in Anguilla (130,000);
	support, through budgetary assistance, for regular roads maintenance work in Montserrat and St .Helena;
	a project, in partnership with the EU, to carry out repairs to Tristan da Cunha's only harbour, due to commence in 2006.
	I announced plans last March to build an airport in St. Helena, subject to satisfactory contract bids and a rigorous environmental impact assessment.

EU Agricultural Policies

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the impact of EU agricultural policies on people in developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: The Government acknowledge the damaging impact that dumping and trade-distorting subsidies have on developing countries, particularly on their agriculture sectors. We fully support the commitment made at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Ministerial meeting in 2001, which agreed that agriculture negotiations would aim to achieve: substantial improvements in market access; reductions of, with a view to phasing out, all forms of export subsidies; and substantial reductions in trade-distorting domestic support.
	The package of reforms to the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) agreed in June 2003 and May 2004 mark a significant shift in the EU's agricultural policy. The de-coupling of subsidies from production should connect European farmers much more closely to the market and have real impacts on reducing excessive production, which results in dumping and harms developing countries. The Government will continue to be at the forefront of those pushing for further reform of the EU's agricultural policy and I welcome the fact that the Commission has re-affirmed its commitment to ensuring that the EU plays a full and constructive role in the WTO agriculture negotiations. I also welcome the commitment in the WTO to agree to set an end date for all export supports. The UK believes these should end by 2010.
	The Doha Development Agenda and specifically the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong represent an important opportunity to make a significant contribution to reducing global poverty. The UK Government are working to achieve an outcome that delivers real gains for developing countries, including the poorest. These gains should include improved participation by developing countries in the world trading system, through substantially increased market access for developing countries and the dismantling of trade-distorting agricultural subsidies by industrialised countries.

Free Trade

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to promote free trade with developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are committed to the development of an open and rules-based international trading system that fulfils its potential to contribute to the reduction of poverty in poorer countries. Our key policy commitments on trade and development, as well as our objectives for the current round of multilateral trade talks, are set out in the Government's White Papers, Making Globalisation a Force for Good(July 2004) and Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for the Poor (December 2000). The UK Government are working hard to support the poorest and most vulnerable producers, be it through multilateral negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) or regional trade agreements such as the Economic Partnership Agreements.
	The UK Government do not support forced liberalisation or unfettered free trade but trade that is fair as well as free. The UK Government support the view that developing countries need to decide on the timing, pace and sequencing of any market opening in line with their own national development and poverty reduction plans. In the context of the WTO negotiations we are firmly committed to ensuring that developing countries are given appropriate flexibility to adjust to trade reforms.
	In the long term, the removal of trade barriers, if managed properly, can help developing countries gain better access to developed country markets and more competitively priced inputs. By increasing Aid for Trade, (AFT) the UK hopes to help poorer countries seize the opportunities presented by more open markets. DFID will treble its support to 100 million a year by 2010 to help boost poor countries' capacity to trade.
	At the WTO ministerial in Hong Kong we are working with international partners to deliver on the ambition of Doha and build on G8 commitments. The UK Government are working to achieve an outcome that delivers real gains for developing countries, including the poorest.

Intellectual Property Rights

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on enabling the least developed countries to meet the economic, administrative and legal challenges of making use of the flexibilities within the agreement on the trade related aspects of intellectual property rights of the World Trade Organisation.

Hilary Benn: DFID has been funding several programmes specifically around, or incorporating activities, on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) flexibilities in the context of its global strategy to improve access to essential medicines.
	We have been providing support to the World Health Organisation's Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health (CIPIH), which is reporting in January 2006, with the secondment of an official to lead the secretariat of the Commission (three-year project: 240,000).
	We have been funding legal research and assistance on how to implement the flexibilities, with for instance the recent release of the UNCTAD-International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development's Resource Book on TRIPS and Development (part of a three-year 1.2 million project), published this year.
	DFID also supports country-focused work on the issue. In Ghana, we support an Access to Medicines Initiative (ATMI) through the Ghana National Drugs Programme that includes work on TRIPS flexibilities. The DFID Health Resource Centre commissioned a series of studies that looked at access to medicines in under-served markets, including country case studies in Kenya and Malawi. A study on China and India investigates the effects of changing intellectual property legislation on the pharmaceutical industry in these countries, and in a recent update, the consequences of the alignment with TRIPS obligations in 2005.

Palestinian Authority

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to ensure accountability for funds transferred from (a) the UK and (b) the European Union for development assistance in the Palestinian Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: Both the UK Government and the European Commission take concerns over the use of aid very seriously. DFID has co-ordinated closely with the European Commission, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other donors in ensuring that the Palestinian Authority (PA) makes proper use of donor funds.
	Since 2004, part of both UK and European Community (EC) funding for the Palestinians has been provided to the PA budget through the World Bank-managed Reform Trust Fund. Release of funds is linked to the achievement of benchmarks for reform. Progress is carefully monitored. This process has helped the PA to improve its financial control and management. It also reflects our commitment that aid should be properly accounted for, used for the intended purposes and represent value for money. Other forms of UK and EC assistance for Palestinians have been provided through organisations whose accounts are reliably audited.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Landing Rights

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 2001 US-registered aircraft tail number (a) N44982, formerly N8068V and N379P and (b) N313P has landed in the United Kingdom; and at which military airfields.

Adam Ingram: The information requested has not been recorded centrally over the last five years and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Aldermaston

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will amend the 25 year contract for the running of AWE Aldermaston, in relation to the number of shares held by each member of the consortium.

John Reid: The AWE contract does not stipulate the shareholding of individual consortium members.

Al-Yamamah Programme

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the 1992 National Audit Office report into charges of corruption by BAE Systems in connection with the al-Yamamah programme; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: holding answer 5 December 2005
	I assume the question refers to the 1992 National Audit Office report on the Ministry of Defence's involvement in the al-Yamamah programme. The report refers to confidential arrangements between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
	The then Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee decided that the NAO report should not be published and that it should be handled on a highly restricted basis. In a review by the parliamentary ombudsman January 200304, the ombudsman concluded that
	I am satisfied that the NAO report is covered by parliamentary privilege and that the decision as to whether or not to disclose the report is properly a matter for Parliament.
	In considering the report, the then PAC chairman stated
	I did an investigation and I find no evidence that the MOD made improper payments. I have found no evidence of fraud or corruption. The deal ... complied with Treasury approval and the rules of Government accounting.

Anglo-Polish Navy Exercises

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will attend one of the joint Anglo-Polish navy exercises in 2006.

Adam Ingram: At present, I have no plans to attend one of the joint Anglo-Polish navy exercises in 2006.

Armed Services (Recruitment)

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what terms of reference were used to scope options for (a) collection and (b) management of data concerning the potential recruitment pool for the armed services; and what steps were taken to investigate the availability of independent experts to conduct this research.

Don Touhig: The armed forces conducts a range of research as part of its recruit marketing operation. All market research and collection and management of response-driven data is carried out via the Central Office of Information using their agency roster. This ensures that independent experts carry out this function on behalf of the Services.

DARA (St. Athan)

Kitty Ussher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet representatives of the Amicus trade union to discuss the potential for future defence contracts being awarded to the Defence Aviation Repair Agency, St. Athan.

Adam Ingram: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has already met with Derek Simpson, the General Secretary, from the Amicus Trade Union to discuss the future of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency site at St. Athan.

Defence Headquarters

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to collocate HQ Land Command and HQ Adjutant-General; and how he intends to announce his plans.

Adam Ingram: Work to consider the benefits of rationalisation and collocation of the two main Army HQsHQ Land Command (currently based in Wilton) and HQ Adjutant-General (currently based in Upavon) is ongoing. The Army is currently determining the possible size and structure of the new HQ organisation and, in parallel, assessing a number of local site options. We expect to know the outcome of this analysis in early 2006 and then to inform the House accordingly. Staff and the trade unions are being kept closely in touch with developments and formal consultation will commence in 2006.

Departmental Finance

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of (a) his Department's output categories for financial years (i) 200405 and (ii) 200506 and (b) the STPO5 Overseas Security and Policy Paper.

John Reid: Schedule 5 of the Departmental Resource Accounts sets out costs by Departmental aims and objectives. These are in effect high-level output categories. Data for financial year 200405 were published on 28 October 2005 and copies of the relevant accounts have been placed in the Library of the House. On current plans, the format of Schedule 5 of the Resource Accounts is unlikely to change for financial year 200506.
	I am unable to place a copy of the Overseas Security and Policy Paper in the Library of the House as it is a confidential document and its release would prejudice the formulation of Government policy and have a detrimental impact on international relations.

EU Arms Embargoes

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many countries are members of the NATO Partnership for Peace programme and also the subject of an EU arms embargo.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply.
	There is only one country (Uzbekistan) that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Partnership for Peace Programme and also the subject of an EU arms embargo. The embargo was agreed on 14 November 2005.

Ground-based Air Defence

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on plans for future ground-based air defence.

Adam Ingram: We remain committed to delivering an effective Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) capability to meet envisaged threats. From 2008 GBAD capability will be delivered by the Army, deploying Rapier Field Standard C and the High Velocity Missile, with a Joint Headquarters located at RAF High Wycombe.

Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Lynx AH 7 and (b) Lynx AH 9 helicopters are fit for operations; what his plans are for the cannibalisation of army and navy helicopters during the next 12 months; and how many (i) Lynx AH 7 and (ii) Lynx AH 9 helicopters have been cannibalised in the last two years.

Adam Ingram: In October 2005, 31 Lynx AH Mk 7 and eight Lynx AH Mk 9 helicopters were defined as Fit for Purpose (FFP). As stated in my answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 120W, the numbers of helicopters that have been cannibalised is not held centrally. Records are maintained only of the total number of times that cannibalisation has taken place. The following table shows this information for Lynx AH Mk 7 and Mk 9, for the periods November 2003 to October 2004 and for November 2004 to October 2005.
	
		
			  Aircraft type 
			 Total cannibalizations Lynx AH Mk 7 Lynx AH Mk 9 
		
		
			 November 2003-October 2004 463 37 
			 November 2004-October 2005 573 108 
			 Last two years 1,036 145 
		
	
	All instances of cannibalisation of Royal Navy, Army and RAF helicopters are authorised and undertaken in accordance with clearly defined regulations. This process will continue to be employed where appropriate.

Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) Project

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many design changes have been made to the Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) Project by (a) BAE Systems and (b) Swan Hunter; and what has been the cost to his Department of these changes.

Adam Ingram: As the Design Authority for the Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) Programme, Swan Hunter have considered numerous proposals for design changes as part of the ship building process. The costs are part of the price of the Swan Hunter contract. Some of the design changes have led to claims from BAES for delay and dislocation to their shipbuilding programme, not all of these claims have been resolved and therefore a revised contract price for BAES is not yet available.

Non-depleted Uranium Ammunition

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress with introducing the new non-depleted uranium ammunition for Challenger 2 tanks.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence is investigating the feasibility of new non-depleted uranium ammunition for Challenger, and initial de-risking work is being undertaken by BAE Systems.

Remembrance Day Poppies

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department (a) was consulted by and (b) offered advice to the Royal British Legion on the risks of pinning Remembrance Day poppies onto the clothing of purchasers.

Don Touhig: holding answer 14 November 2005
	So far as I am aware, the Ministry of Defence was neither consulted nor offered advice on this matter.

Shropshire Light Infantry

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel from the Shropshire Light Infantry are serving in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: There are currently 14 members of the Shropshire Light Infantry serving in Iraq.

UK Military Airfields (Arrests)

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK military police have lawful authority to arrest individuals suspected of criminal offences who are on board aircraft which transit through UK military airfields; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom military police have lawful authority to arrest an individual suspected of a criminal offence if that person is subject to UK military law. This power is set out in the Service Discipline Acts.

Veteran Medal

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans in Paisley and Renfrewshire, North constituency have applied for veteran medals in the last five years.

Don Touhig: Records of applications are not broken down by geographical area, however a total of 21 badges have been issued since April 2005.

CABINET OFFICE

Business Regulation (Kettering)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will visit Kettering to discuss reducing the level of regulation on business.

Jim Murphy: Cabinet Office Ministers currently have no plans to visit Kettering. However, businesses can submit suggestions to Government for areas where regulations are placing an unnecessary burden on them through the www.betterregulation.gov.uk web portal. Departments will be obliged to respond to proposals within 90 working days.

Civil Service Pensions

George Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the annual amount which would be raised if civil servants were required to pay a 6 per cent. contribution to their pension scheme.

Jim Murphy: The Government have not made any estimate of the annual amount that would be raised if civil servants were required to pay a 6 per cent. contribution to their pension scheme. Civil servants currently pay contributions of either 1.5 per cent. or 3.5 per cent. of pensionable earnings depending on which section of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme they belong to. The total of these member contributions for the year 200405 as disclosed in the Civil Superannuation Resource Accounts was 256 million.

Nos. 10 and 11 Downing Street

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans there are to refurbish Numbers (a) 10 and (b) 11 Downing Street; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: I have nothing further to add to the answer given on 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 302W by the then Chancellor of the Duchy, my right hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton).

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Brownfield/Greenfield Land

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1) how many acres of brownfield land there are in each London borough; and how many such sites are of half an acre or less;
	(2)  how many acres of (a) brownfield and (b) greenfield land there are in England, broken down by local authority.

Yvette Cooper: The National Land Use Database of Previously-Developed Land provides estimates of the amounts of previously developed vacant and derelict land in 2004. A table with this information has been made available in the Library of the House. The estimates include an allowance for the contribution from small sites but these are not generally recorded separately and no count is available. The table also shows the amounts of land not in built-up areas (greenfield). The built-up areas are those with a population of 1,000 or more and are for 2001. They include green spaces if they are within the built-up area.

Catalyst Corby-North Northants Together

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what month he expects a decision to be made on the appointment of a new chairman and chief executive for the merged Catalyst Corby-North Northants Together.

Yvette Cooper: Following Baroness Andrews' provisional approval last month, the two bodies have just launched, on 2 December, a public consultation on the proposed merger. The merger aims to build on the considerable success of Catalyst Corby and the promising early work of North Northants Together and draw on the expertise of both organisations in driving and managing the delivery of sustainable growth in North Northamptonshire.
	Responses to the consultation are invited by 27 January. Subject to the results, it is planned that the new organisation will start operations on 1 April 2006. Formal appointments to the board and of the executive staff will be made after the close of consultation, subject to final ministerial approval of the merger in the light of comments received.

Council Tax Revaluation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, columns 206263W, on council tax revaluation, how many of the 1,794,709 dwellings fall into each value significant code.

Phil Woolas: Work on the collection of value significant codes is incomplete.

Departmental Research

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research projects commissioned by his Department are being undertaken; and what the publication arrangements are in each case.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A list of all research projects commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is available from the Research Management Database (RMD) at: http://www.rmd.odpm.gov.uk
	Under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Publication Scheme, we are committed to publishing research project reports within six months of project completion or, at the latest, when quality checks, including relevant peer review, are completed or when a policy decision based on its findings is publicised. Information on the project completion date is contained in the Research Management Database.
	There are agreed publication timetables for a number of statistical research projects. This information is regularly updated and available at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_about/documents/page/odpm_about_609298.hcsp

Designated Growth Areas

Anne Main: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2005, Official Report, columns 168889W, on designated growth areas, 
	(1)  what evidential factors will be used to determine mainstream funding in each designated growth area in England;
	(2)  how much additional grant funding will be made available by his Department for designated growth areas within England;
	(3)  what estimate his Department has made of the amount of private funding that will be used within (a) the Milton Keynes growth area and (b) each other designated growth area towards infrastructure costs; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Mainstream Government funding is, by its nature, determined by the relevant Government Departments based on their own procedures for allocating funding towards meeting their objectives under their Public Service Agreement. For most Government programmes, this is covered by the periodic spending reviews. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been working with Departments towards ensuring that growth is given due consideration in the allocation of funding. In a number of cases this would follow in the ordinary course, simply because funding levels are based on (among other factors) population. In other cases, specific mechanisms are available to safeguard rapidly growing areas.
	To give an example from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's own departmental expenditure, population is an important factor in the allocation of revenue support grant (RSG) to local authorities. As a result of recent changes to the formula for allocating RSG, namely the abolition of ceilings and (as from 200607) the use of forward-looking population data, local government funding will be more responsive to the relatively rapid population growth associated with growth areas.
	By way of example from another Department, capital funding from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) for new schools places responds formulaically to local authorities' estimates of pupil numbers. Local authorities in the growth areas should therefore be taking account of growth plans in their submission to DfES. Nonetheless, a safety valve mechanism has been put in place to allow exceptional needs resulting from unanticipated factors (which could include growth in pupil numbers) to be taken into account. A number of growth locations have accessed funding under this mechanism.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made grant funding available exclusively in support of projects in the growth areas. The total amount of such funding, up to and including 200708, is around 1.25billion. This does not include the 200 million to be made available to the growth areas by Department for Transport under the community infrastructure fund. Expenditure beyond 200708 will be subject to the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. This expenditure will lever in funding from other sources. For example, it was estimated that the initial round of ODPM funding (amounting to just over 600m) would lever in funding of over 3 billion from other public and private sector partners (not including Department for Transport funding).
	Private sector investment will respond to opportunities presented by the growth areas, e.g. investment by the privately owned utilities in water, wastewater and electricity supply infrastructure. In addition, housing developers will be expected to contribute to the infrastructure costs associated with housing development through Section 106 contributions. A good example of this is in Milton Keynes, where the local delivery vehicle Milton Keynes Partnerships Committee has been negotiating a standard charge of over 18,000 per house from developers in the east and west expansion flanks. This will generate approximately 300 million of funding to complement circa 900 million of funding from public sources in support of infrastructure to facilitate construction of 15,000 houses to 2016.

Disabled Facilities Grant

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the disabled facilities grant funding stream from the Government Office for London was made available to the London borough of Croydon in 200405.

Yvette Cooper: The London borough of Croydon received a specified capital grant from Government of 591,000 in 200405 towards the authority's expenditure on Disabled Facilities Grants. This represents almost 4 per cent. of the total allocation for London of 15,282,000.

Energy Efficiency

David Howarth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the interdepartmental committee on improving the energy performance of existing buildings set up by the Minister for Housing and Planning on 14 September is expected to complete its work; and what its terms of reference are.

Yvette Cooper: The aim of the review is to identify the scope for measures that can be taken in existing buildings to:
	improve the sustainability, and in particular the energy and water efficiency of the building; and
	make the building more resilient to the predicted effects of climate change; while
	not adversely affecting either the building fabric or the health and safety of the occupants.
	It is due to be completed by summer 2006.

EU Funded Projects (North-east)

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the EU funded projects in the north-east of England which were identified by the European Court of Auditors as having (a) accounting errors and (b) inadequate documentation; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The European Court of Auditors carry out audits in all member states on all EC income and expenditure to ensure sound financial management and compliance with EC regulations. The audit in the north-east of England was conducted in July and October 2004. The findings of these audits are summarised in the European Court of Auditor's annual report to the European Parliament. The individual reports and the detail contained in them belong to the European Court of Auditors. They do not publish individual reports. The appropriate route to request the report is to apply in writing to the court.

Fire Service

David Ruffley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many attacks on fire crews have taken place in each county in England in each of the last eight years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been maintaining records of attacks on firefighters since April 2004. Prior to that date their was no requirement for the fire and rescue service to report attacks on firefighters.
	Since April 2004 there has been in place a procedure for attacks on firefighters to be notified to the ODPM using the Fires and Incidents of Special Interest (FOSI) reporting procedures as detailed in Dear Chief Fire Officer (DCOL) letter 3/2004 issued 1 April 2004. This procedure was updated by the issue of Fire and Rescue Service Circular 5/2005 issued on 15 February 2005. The following table shows a break down of notifications received by the ODPM of attacks on firefighters since the 1 April 2004:
	
		
			 FRS Number 
		
		
			 Avon 9 
			 Bedfordshire 2 
			 Buckinghamshire 6 
			 Cambridgeshire 20 
			 Cheshire 45 
			 Cleveland 121 
			 Cornwall 0 
			 Cumbria 3 
			 Derbyshire 8 
			 Devon 4 
			 Dorset 4 
			 Durham 23 
			 Essex 10 
			 Gloucestershire 5 
			 Greater Manchester 337 
			 Hampshire 11 
			 Hereford 0 
			 Hertfordshire 1 
			 Humberside 18 
			 Isle of Wight 1 
			 Kent 16 
			 Lancashire 28 
			 Lincolnshire 8 
			 Leicestershire 9 
			 London 5 
			 Merseyside 267 
			 Norfolk 3 
			 Northamtonshire 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 59 
			 Northumberland 10 
			 North Yorkshire 1 
			 Oxfordshire 0 
			 Royal Berkshire 7 
			 Shropshire 0 
			 South Yorkshire 54 
			 Somerset 1 
			 Staffordshire 15 
			 Suffolk 4 
			 Surrey 1 
			 East Sussex 0 
			 West Sussex 0 
			 Tyne and Wear 24 
			 Warwickshire 11 
			 West Midlands 221 
			 West Yorkshire 76 
			 Wiltshire 0 
			 Total 1,449

Fire Service

David Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the members of the project team for the delivery of (a) Fire Link and (b) Fire Capture; and from where each secondee on the team has been seconded.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Firelink and FiReControl project teams comprise civil servants, seconded fire and rescue service staff and consultants.
	As of 30 November 2005 there were, for Firelink, 51team members, including 12 officers seconded from the following fire and rescue services: London, West Yorkshire, Mid and West Wales, South Wales, Suffolk, East Sussex, Devon, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Northumberland Lothian and Boarders and Strathclyde.
	For FiReControl, there were 74 team members (70full-time equivalents). The 13 secondees from the fire and rescue service are from Wiltshire, London, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, Lancashire, Northumberland, Cumbria and South Wales. The project team number includes two full-time special advisers from the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA).

Fire-prevention Sprinklers

Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to revise planning regulations and guidance to ensure that new-build commercial and residential properties are required to have fire-prevention sprinkler facilities as standard.

Yvette Cooper: Health and safety issues including construction standards for new buildings are included in Building Regulations rather than planning guidance. Guidance on measures that will meet the fire safety requirements of these Regulations is given in Approved Document B (or 'AD B'). AD B includes guidance on limiting the spread of fire in a building and on when sprinklers should be provided. AD B is intended to provide guidance only for some of the more common building situations; there may be other ways of complying with the Regulations, such as using sprinklers as a compensatory feature.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognises that the greater use of sprinklers could be beneficial, especially for those buildings where occupants are particularly vulnerable to fire. Therefore, ODPM recently consulted on a revised draft AD B which proposes the increased use of sprinklers. The public consultation is now closed and the responses are being considered. ODPM hopes to be in a position to publish a revised AD B around the end of 2006.

Flooding

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department provides to (a) elected representatives and (b) the general public on planning applications relating to areas indicated on the website of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as prone to flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Planning policy guidance on development and flood risk is contained in PPG25, published in 2001. It aims to ensure that flood risk is taken into account at all stages in the planning process to avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding and to direct development away from areas at highest risk. PPG25 advises that the Environment Agency should be consulted on planning applications in flood risk areas, including areas shown on the Agency's Flood Maps, and that planning applications in such areas should be accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is now consulting on a new PPS25 which strengthens and clarifies these and other aspects of policy on this issue.

Green Belt

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the applications for building on greenbelt land in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Information on planning applications for building on Green Belt land is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Growth Areas Directorate

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many officials are assigned (a) full-time and (b) part-time to the Department's Growth Areas Directorate, broken down by grade;
	(2)  how many officials in the Department's Growth Areas Directorate are working (a) full-time and (b) part-time on recovering the growth agenda in Northamptonshire, broken down by grade.

Yvette Cooper: Growth Areas Division, which has responsibility for the three newer growth areas of Milton Keynes/South Midlands (including Northamptonshire), Ashford, London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough and the New Growth Points Initiative, currently has 15 staff. Its work is organised on a mix of area and thematic responsibilities and to reflect policy and business priorities.

Growth Areas Directorate

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions have taken place between the Department's Growth Areas Directorate and officials in the (a) Department of Health, (b) Department for Education and Skills and (c) Home Office on adjusting future revenue spending in the growth areas to take account of house building.

Yvette Cooper: The Growth Areas Division in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has periodic discussion with other Government Departments on how mainstream programmes keep in step with growing populations. For example the ODPM has worked with the Department of Health to ensure that funding allocations to primary care trusts take account of growth. The Department of Health's announcement on primary care trust revenue funding on 9 February 2005 included a growth area adjustment.

Growth Areas Directorate

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions the Department's Growth Areas Directorate has had with Anglian Water about the provision of water supplies and sewerage to North Northamptonshire.

Yvette Cooper: Growth Areas Division in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have held meetings with the water industry including Anglian Water on how the industry might respond to higher growth levels. This supplements the industry's discussion with local partners and delivery organisations.

High Hedges

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many applications have been made to local authorities to reduce the height of hedges since the introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

High Hedges

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the impact of local authority fees on the willingness of applicants to use the process provided by the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 to deal with excessively high hedges.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no formal assessment of the impact of local authority fees on the willingness of applicants to use the process provided by the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 to deal with excessively high hedges. This part of the 2003 Act came into operation in June 2005 and so it is too soon to draw conclusions about the impact of local authority fees. We are also aware that authorities are keeping their fees for this service under review.

High Hedges

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he has issued to local councils on actionthey should take in response to an application under high hedges regulations to cut a hedge by morethan a third to ensure reasonable enjoyment of a property.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has issued no guidelines on not cutting hedges by more than a third. Paragraph 6.24 of our publication 'High Hedges Complaints: Prevention and Cure' advises that Councils cannot order remedial works that would kill a hedge. In our view this would amount to the same as removing the hedge altogether and, under section 69(3) of the 2003 Act, Councils are expressly prevented from ordering action involving removal of a hedge.
	How far one can reduce a hedge before it is killed will vary according to the particular circumstances and, to illustrate the point, we give the example of a healthy Leyland cypress hedge which will usually respond well to a reduction by up to one-third whereas an older specimen may not. There will be circumstances where Leyland cypress, or other species, may be reduced by more than one-third without destroying them.
	Where local councils have concluded that remedial action is required to ensure reasonable enjoyment of a property, it is for them to decide what height the hedge should be reduced to while ensuring its survival. That judgment depends on the species of the shrubs or trees in the hedge, their age and health, and past management. We recommend councils, therefore, to consider each case on its merits and to obtain arboricultural advice.
	Copies of 'High Hedges Complaints: Prevention and Cure' are available in the Library of the House. Further information is published on the Frequently Asked Questions pages of our website at www.odpm.gov.uk/treesandhedges, under the heading 'Remedial works'. This acknowledges that there may be some cases where councils could be prevented from requiring action that would provide a full remedy to the problems identified because it would kill the hedge. Nevertheless, they would still be able to order works that offer some relief to the complainant. In addition, if a complainant considers that the action specified in a remedial notice does not go far enough, they can appeal against the council's decision to the Planning Inspectorate.

Homelessness

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many individuals were homeless in each district authority in Northamptonshire in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected in respect of households, rather than persons.
	The number of households accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need in each year since 199798, and the number of households in temporary accommodation arranged by local authorities under homelessness legislation on 31 March each year as reported by each local authority in Northamptonshire is as tabled.
	The duty owed to a person accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need is to secure suitable accommodation. If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority may secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available. As an alternative to the provision of temporary accommodation some authorities arrange for households to remain in their current accommodation (homeless at home), until a settled solution becomes available.
	Information is also collected, since 1998, on the number of people who sleep roughthat is, those who are literally roofless on a single nightand these are also presented in the tables.
	
		Households accepted(9) as homeless during the year, households in temporary accommodation(10) at the end of the year, and numbers of rough sleepers(11) each year, for districts in Northamptonshire
		
			  Households Accepted(9) during 199798 Households in TA(10) at end March 1998 Households Accepted(9) during 199899 Households in TA(10) at end March 1999 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 1998 Households Accepted(9) during 19992000 
		
		
			 Corby 28 7 30 12 0 52 
			 Daventry 78 28 74 25 0 127 
			 East Northampton 29 20 34 23 0 47 
			 Kettering 53 11 100 9 0 112 
			 Northampton 423 32 378 61 13 369 
			 South Northamptonshire 170 34 128 19 0 94 
			 Wellingborough 25 6 30 11 0 11 
		
	
	
		
			  Households in TA(10) at end March 2000 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 1999 Households Accepted(9) during 200001 Households in TA(10) at end March 2001 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 2000 
		
		
			 Corby 13 0 42 17 0 
			 Daventry 29 0 94 56 0 
			 East Northampton 25 0 50 36 0 
			 Kettering 9 0 133 12 0 
			 Northampton 65 12 430 62 6 
			 South Northamptonshire 15 0 69 16 0 
			 Wellingborough 14 0 10 24 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Households Accepted(9) during 200102 Households in TA(10) at end March 2002 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 2001 Households Accepted(9) during 200203 Households in TA(10) at end March 2003 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 2002 
		
		
			 Corby 60 12 0 58 22 0 
			 Daventry 76 40 0 104 54 0 
			 East Northampton 42 28 0 43 22 0 
			 Kettering 112 16 0 103 10 0 
			 Northampton 286 81 6 414 110 6 
			 South Northamptonshire 69 21 0 62 28 0 
			 Wellingborough 34 32 0 81 5 0 
		
	
	
		
			  Households Accepted(9) during 200304 Households in TA(10) at end March 2004 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 2003 Households Accepted(9) during 200405 Households in TA(10) at end March 2005 Rough Sleepers(11) (persons) 2004 
		
		
			 Corby 60 21 0 50 29 0 
			 Daventry 121 56 0 72 50 0 
			 East Northampton 81 36 0 83 50 0 
			 Kettering 141 18 0 103 16 0 
			 Northampton 420 138 7 455 179 8 
			 South Northamptonshire 46 27 0 56 30 0 
			 Wellingborough 90 16 0 n/a 44 0 
		
	
	n/a denotes the authority failed to provide a return for 1 or more quarters of the year.
	(9)All households eligible under homelessness legislation, found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty.
	(10)Households in accommodation either pending a decision on their homelessness application or awaiting allocation of a settled home following acceptance. Excludes those households designated as homeless at home that have remained in their existing accommodation and have the same rights to suitable alternative accommodation as those in accommodation arranged by the authority.
	(11)Number of persons sleeping rough, based on local authority mid-year counts or estimates. Counts began in 1998.
	Source:
	ODPMP1E Homelessness returns (quarterly) and HSSA returns (annual)

Homelessness

Ian Gibson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1) how many households applying under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996 in each authority in Norfolk and Suffolk have been found to be (a) homeless and in priority need, (b) homeless but not in priority need, (c) intentionally homeless and (d) not homeless in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many homeless households have been placed in temporary accommodation in each authority in Norfolk and Suffolk in each year since 1979.

Yvette Cooper: A table presenting summary information reported by each local authority in Norfolk and Suffolk on their decisions under homelessness legislation during each financial year since 1997/98 has been made available in the Library of the House. Also included are the numbers in temporary accommodation arranged by local authorities, as at 31 March of each year.
	Equivalent information collected prior to January 1997 is not available in electronic format and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Householder Development Consents Review

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will ensure that the Householder Development Consents review will clarify the position on permitted development rights for domestic micro-generation equipment.

Yvette Cooper: The Householder Development Consents review has been considering whether it is necessary to require a planning application for various kinds of minor development to dwellings. As stated to the House on 11 November, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister envisages consulting next year on possible amendments to the General Permitted Development Order, including provisions that would make it easier for householders to install micro-generation equipment.

Housing

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people are on the housing list waiting to be re-housed in Tamworth.

Yvette Cooper: I refer my hon. Friend to the answergiven on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 205W, in which the number of applicants on the Tamworth housing waiting list was requested.
	Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. Households looking for transfer within the local authority's stock are not included.

Housing

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many vacant dwellings there were in (a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire in each of the last five years (i) in total and (ii) as a proportion of all dwellings.

Yvette Cooper: The following table gives the latest available figures for the total number of vacant dwellings and the proportion of vacant dwellings for Tamworth and Staffordshire for each of the last five years. From April 2006 local authorities in Staffordshire will have new powers to bring long-term empty dwellings back into use.
	
		
			  Tamworth Staffordshire total 
			  Total empty homes Empty as percentage of all properties Total empty homes Empty as percentage of all properties 
		
		
			 April 2000 570 1.94 (12) (12) 
			 April 2001 620 2.09 (12) (12) 
			 November 2002 480 1.60 8,701 2.5 
			 November 2003 512 1.70 7,872 2.3 
			 November 2004 499 1.65 8.913 2.6 
		
	
	(12)Not available, since figures were not provided by all local authorities.
	Source:
	2000 and 2001 figures come from a combination of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) return, and the Housing Corporation's Regulatory Statistical Return (RSR). For the years 2002 to 2004 the figures are based on ODPM's Council Tax Base 1 (CTB1) return.

Housing

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances, and after how long an interval local authorities are allowed to re-ballot tenants who have previously voted against a large-scale voluntary transfer of council housing.

Yvette Cooper: The timing and circumstances surrounding any decision to re-ballot tenants are matters for the local authority.

Housing

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the merits of extending the National Code for Sustainable Buildings to all new housing developments; what estimate he has made of the likely cost to the housing industry of such an extension; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently consulting on a proposed new code. The consultation document includes a regulatory impact assessment as is customary.

Housing

Colin Challen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new houses were built in the last accounting period; and how many of these were built to Ecohomes standards, broken down by Ecohomes category.

Yvette Cooper: There were 155,000 new dwellings built in England during 200405, as reported by local authorities (P2 return to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) and the National House-Building Council. Information on how many of these were built to Ecohomes standards in not available centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing

Adam Holloway: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in Gravesham are waiting to be found suitable accommodation by the local authority while living in accommodation judged unacceptable by social services.

Yvette Cooper: Gravesham borough council have provided details of three individuals that are waiting to be found suitable accommodation by the local authority, and are currently in accommodation deemed unsuitable by social services. These cases are being addressed during December 2005.
	Further information of this nature can be readily accessed by contacting the housing needs team at Gravesham borough council.

Housing

John Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) of 31 October 2005, Official Report, column 760W, on housing, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Right to Buy on the number of households on Leeds housing waiting lists; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: No such assessment has been made. It is for each housing authority to manage its stock in the light of local circumstances.

Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the latest figures are for the number of vacant (a) private and (b) public properties in each local authority in Hampshire; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The most recent data for the total number of vacant dwellings by tenure and by district in Hampshire are tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Tenure 
			 District Local authority (LA) 1 April 2005 Registered social landlord 1 April 2005 'Other' public sector 1 April 2005 Private sector (non RSL) residual Total November 2004 
		
		
			 Basingstoke and Deane 0 43 3 1,451 1,497 
			 East Hampshire 0 17 0 871 888 
			 Eastleigh 0 111 0 993 1,104 
			 Fareham 53 10 2 876 941 
			 Gosport 58 22 0 1,020 1,100 
			 Hart 0 19 0 969 988 
			 Havant 0 57 36 775 868 
			 New Forest 58 9 67 1,415 1,549 
			 Rushmore 0 167 262 474 903 
			 Test Valley 0 53 21 762 836 
			 Winchester 104 10 0 1,014 1,128 
			 Total 273 518 391 10,620 11,802 
		
	
	Source:
	The figures above are based on three sources: Total from ODPM's Council Tax Base 1 return; LA and 'Other' public sector tenures from ODPM's Housing Strategy Statistical return; RSL tenure from Housing Corporation's Regulatory Statistical Return; and the private sector (non-RSL) is obtained by subtracting all these three separate tenure figures from the total.
	New powers will be available to local authorities in Hampshire to bring empty dwellings back into use from April 2006.

Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many houses have been completed in each local authority in Hampshire in each year since 2001; how many of these were classified as affordable housing; what the projections are in each case for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The number of affordable dwellings completed and acquired, as well as the total number of all new build dwellings completed in each local authority in Hampshire and Portsmouth and Southampton, in each financial year since 200102 are tabled as follows.
	
		Table 1
		
			  200102 200203 200304 200405 
			 Local authority Affordable housing completions Total dwellings completed Affordable housing completions Total dwellings completed Affordable housing completions Total dwellings completed Affordable housing completions Total dwellings completed 
		
		
			 Portsmouth 215 227 116 406 36 512 85 457 
			 Southampton 110 439 161 712 77 573 242 792 
			 Basingstoke and Deane 53 711 20 550 55 740 122 729 
			 East Hampshire 38 240 19 157 93 399 96 443 
			 Eastleigh 15 122 27 157 144 489 201 829 
			 Fareham 43 293 38 195 24 270 57 193 
			 Gosport 22 260 3 455 64 443 118 185 
			 Hart 6 354 73 485 71 516 168 531 
			 Havant 42 167 89 121 42 197 7 142 
			 New Forest 155 559 27 487 111 487 53 504 
			 Rushmoor 51 172 30 103 98 137 119 491 
			 Test Valley 30 453 99 544 11 473 61 220 
			 Winchester 91 286 8 397 56 487 359 533 
		
	
	Sources:
	Affordable housing completionsHousing Corporation (Approved development programme).
	Total dwellings completedReturns (P2) from local authorities to ODPM.
	Local authorities have provided, through the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix, information on the additional number of affordable dwellings that are planned for 200506 and proposed for 200607. These figures are tabled as follows.
	
		Table 2
		
			 Local authority Planned 200506 Proposed 200607 
		
		
			 Portsmouth 379 315 
			 Southampton 435 251 
			 Basingstoke and Deane 348 207 
			 East Hampshire 102 150 
			 Eastleigh 110 125 
			 Fareham 60 60 
			 Gosport 52 81 
			 Hart 149 127 
			 Havant 147 108 
			 New Forest 100 100 
			 Rushmore 177 130 
			 Test Valley 119 103 
			 Winchester 144 93 
		
	
	Source:
	Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix

Housing

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the target is of each local authority in Hampshire for the percentage of housing to be provided which is to be affordable housing; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Local authorities set out targets for affordable housing provision in their development plans. It is for individual local authorities to explain and make statements on their policy. The content of adopted and emerging plans in Hampshire is tabled as follows:
	
		
			 Local authority Percentage sought 
		
		
			 Portsmouth Minimum 30 
			 Southampton Up to 25 
			 Basingstoke and Deane 3040 
			 East Hampshire (13) 
			 Eastleigh 3040 
			 Fareham 2035 
			 Gosport 40 
			 Hart 40 
			 Havant 30 
			 New Forest 35 
			 Rushmoor 1530 
			 Test Valley 30 
			 Winchester 35 
		
	
	(13)Negotiated on a site by site basis.

Housing

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable homes are planned to be built as part of the growth area programme in (a) Lancashire and (b) Ribble Valley constituency in each year to 2031.

Yvette Cooper: The current review of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West will address future housing provision in the region. It is up to local authorities to assess the need for affordable housing within their areas in their local development frameworks. The Housing Corporation is also considering bids from registered social landlords for resources to provide social housing up to 2008.

Housing

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of new households likely to be established in each government office region over the next 20 years.

Yvette Cooper: Interim 2002 based projections of additional households up to 2021 are published on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at:
	http://www/odpm/gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1156104

Housing

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many vacant homes there are in (a) West Sussex, (b) the area covered by the South East plan and (c) the South East Region.

Yvette Cooper: The estimated number of vacant dwellings in West Sussex is 8,525. The area covered by the South East plan is the same as that covered by the South East region. The estimated number of vacant dwellings in that area is 97,804, including short term and long term empty homes.
	The data are as at November 2004 and are as reported on CTB1 and CTB1S returns submitted by billing authorities to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister each year. The figure includes both long and short-term empty properties.
	The Government are introducing new powers from April 2006 for local authorities to reduce the number of long-term empty homes in their area.

Housing

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reports he has received of registered social landlords in London selling off social rented housing to finance Decent Homes Standard works to remaining stock.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 30 November 2005
	Records of registered social landlords' (RSLs) applications for consent to dispose of housing stock, which include the reason for disposal, are maintained by the Housing Corporation. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not require formal reports on this information. Information provided by RSLs in their Regulatory and Statistical Returns (RSR) on the number of homes they have disposed of is publicly available on the RSR's website at: www.rsrsurvey.gov.uk .

London Borough of Croydon (Funding)

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of the (a) European Structural Fund Objective 2, (b) Community Chest and (c) Estate Action funding stream from the Government Office for London was made available to the London borough of Croydon in 200405.

Yvette Cooper: No funding was available to the London borough of Croydon in 200405 through the European Structural Fund's Objective 2 Programme as it did not meet the European Union's eligibility criteria when the present round of Objective 2 Programmes were agreed.
	In 200405 the Community Empowerment Network (CEN) in Croydon received funding of 243,139 underthe Single Community Programme. Of that the CEN allocated 112,600 for Small Grants (formerly Community Chest), and spent 137,001. Total Single Community Programme funding available in London in 200405 was 9,343,811.
	200405 was the last year of Estate Action funding in London, which received 2,626,000 for two schemes in the London borough of Lambeth. The London borough of Croydon received no Estate Action funding.

London Mayor

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the people and organisations which were sent the consultation document on the Government's proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the London Mayor and Greater London Assembly.

Phil Woolas: The Government have sent its consultation document on proposals for additional powers and responsibilities for the Mayor of London and London Assembly to over 400 organisations and individuals. A list of recipients can be viewed on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at: www.odpm.gov.uk/gla/review

Materials Recycling (West Sussex)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the environmental implications of the proposed materials recycling facility at Ford in West Sussex.

Yvette Cooper: Assessment of the environmental implications of such developments is a matter for the local planning authority, in this case West Sussex county council, to determine in the first instance. I understand that the applicant submitted an environmental impact assessment with the planning application.
	Should a planning application for a proposed materials recycling facility at Ford be referred to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister the First Secretary of State for consideration, the environmental implications of the proposal would be considered together with other material considerations.

Mining

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessments are required to be conducted prior to an agreement being reached for the diversion of a river to enable the extension of open cast mining; and what ongoing monitoring of river quality is then required.

Yvette Cooper: An environmental impact assessment (EIA) would almost certainly be necessary before any such proposal could be considered. EIA is mandatory for all open-cast mining at sites in excess of 25 hectares. In all other cases the proposals would be considered for EIA against the potential impacts, as would any works involving river canalisation in excess of 1 hectare. The Environment Agency would be consulted as part of theEIA process, and if it was decided in the light of the resulting environmental statement that the development should proceed, it could require conditions on the monitoring of river quality to be attached to the mineral permission. Planning policy for England is set out in PPS23, Planning and Pollution control Annex 1.

Mobile Homes

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what rights those with mobile homes on plots owned by their local council have to buy the plot; and what plans he has to (a) review and (b) to change the legislation which applies in such cases.

Yvette Cooper: A park home owner does not have the right to buy the plot they rent from a local authority. Under Part V of the Housing Act 1985, the Right to Buy is available only to secure tenants who rent dwelling houses from a social landlord, who may buy the house or flat that they rent.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not have any evidence to suggest that there is sufficient demand for right to buy from this sector and have no current plans to review and change the legislation.

Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (Leeds)

John Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what programmes the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund has funded in Leeds West constituency since it began.

Phil Woolas: Neighbourhood Renewal Fund is allocated at local authority level. Details of the individual activities funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund are not collected at constituency level and, unfortunately, the information requested is not directly available. However, over the financial years 200001 to 200405, Leeds city council has confirmed expenditure of 27.3 million of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund for the delivery of agreed Local Strategic Partnership priorities focussed on accelerating improvements in the most deprived areas of the local authority district, some of which will be in the Leeds West constituency. Further detail on Neighbourhood Renewal Fund expenditure within the district may be obtained direct from the Leeds city council's Regeneration Service, which is located within its Neighbourhoods and Housing Department.

Planning

Philip Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister howmany planning applications were referred to the planning inspector in (a) England and (b) Yorkshire in each of the last eight years; and in how many of those cases the planning inspector overturned the local planning authority's decision.

Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows.
	
		Planning appeals decided/allowedEngland 200405 to 199697
		
			  Outcome 
		
		
			 200405  
			 Decided 17,403 
			 Allowed (number) 5,689 
			 Allowed (percentage) 33 
			   
			 200304  
			 Decided 18,178 
			 Allowed (number) 6,018 
			 Allowed (percentage) 33 
			   
			 200203  
			 Decided 15,002 
			 Allowed (number) 5,469 
			 Allowed (percentage) 36 
			 200102  
			 Decided 13,539 
			 Allowed (number) 4,893 
			 Allowed (percentage) 36 
			   
			 200001  
			 Decided 12,916 
			 Allowed (number) 4,515 
			 Allowed (percentage) 35 
			   
			 19992000  
			 Decided 12,619 
			 Allowed (number) 4,573 
			 Allowed (percentage) 36 
			   
			 199899  
			 Decided 12,877 
			 Allowed (number) 4,523 
			 Allowed (percentage) 35 
			   
			 199798  
			 Decided 13,051 
			 Allowed (number) 4,685 
			 Allowed (percentage) 35 
		
	
	
		Planning appeals decided/allowedlocal planning authorities in Yorkshire 200405 to 200001(14)
		
			  Outcome 
		
		
			 200405 
			 Decided 849 
			 Allowed (number) 313 
			 Allowed (percentage) 37 
			   
			 200304  
			 Decided 860 
			 Allowed (number) 268 
			 Allowed (percentage) 31 
			   
			 200203  
			 Decided 672 
			 Allowed (number) 244 
			 Allowed (percentage) 36 
			   
			 200102  
			 Decided 687 
			 Allowed (number) 265 
			 Allowed (percentage) 39 
			   
			 200001  
			 Decided 543 
			 Allowed (number) 197 
			 Allowed (percentage) 36 
		
	
	(14)These data are available for the last five years only.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the aggregated receipts to local planning authorities were from planning fees in England for each year from 199697 to 200405; and what the estimated figures are for 200506.

Yvette Cooper: Planning fee receipts collected by English local authorities were estimated and are tabled as follows.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 199697 110 
			 199798 132 
			 199899 132 
			 19992000 134 
			 200001 142 
			 200102 144 
			 200203 174 
			 200304 188 
			 200405 204 
		
	
	There is no official estimate for the current year 200506.

Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes the Government (a) has made since 1997 and (b) is planning to make to planning regulations relating to the use for residential purposes of land designated for employment, industrial or commercial purposes.

Yvette Cooper: Planning Policy Guidance note 3: Housing (PPG3), published in March 2000, asks localplanning authorities to review their non-housing allocations of land (including employment land) when reviewing their development plan and consider whether some of this land might be better used for housing or mixed use developments. This built on the general policy approach in the previous PPG3 published in 1992.
	The PPG3 update 'Supporting the Delivery of New Housing', published in January this year, added a new paragraph to PPG3. This advocates the re-use of industrial and commercial land where it would be better used for housing and mixed use development unless a compelling case can be made for the retention of the current allocation.
	A new draft Planning Policy Statement 3 was published on 5 December.

Predictive Diallers

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many calls were made from call centres in his Department in 200405 using predictive diallers; how many such calls resulted in contact being made with the recipient without a Government agent available to talk to them; and what assessment he has made of the likely impact of Ofcom's policy on silent calls on the use of predictive diallers in departmental call centres.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The central Office of the Deputy Prime Minister HQ does not have a call centre, and its switchboard does not use predictive diallers when making calls to members of the public.

Regional Assemblies

Michael Penning: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost was of the North East Regional Assembly referendum; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Electoral Commission Report on the North East Regional Assembly Referendum records the cost of running the referendum at 2.3 million. In addition support for the Yes and No campaigns totalled 0.5 million. A copy of the report is available at www.electoralcommission.org.uk

Resident Management Companies

Francis Maude: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many resident management companies or associations there were in the United Kingdom in each year since 1987.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not hold information about how many resident management companies or associations there are in the UK, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However according to our information, the number of tenant management organisations (TMOs) in England in each year since 1987 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1987 16 
			 1988 18 
			 1989 21 
			 1990 24 
			 1991 35 
			 1992 47 
			 1993 55 
			 1994 72 
			 1995 84 
			 1996 103 
			 1997 114 
			 1998 126 
			 1999 134 
			 2000 140 
			 2001 147 
			 2002 152 
			 2003 158 
			 2004 160 
		
	
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister believe there are in the region of a further 100 TMOs for which we do not have information on the year of their establishment. TMOs can exist in both the local authority and registered social landlord sectors.

Right-to-Buy Scheme

Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whatregional variations there are in right to buy sales discounts; and what changes there have been in such discounts in each region since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: There are 10 regional discount limits for Right to Buy:
	38,000 in the South East (except in the local authority areas of: Chiltern, Epsom and Ewell, Hart, Oxford, Reading, Reigate and Barnstead, Tonbridge and Mailing Vale of the White Horse, West Berkshire, where it is 16,000)
	34,000 in the Eastern Region (except in Watford where it is 16,000)
	30,000 in the South West
	26,000 in the North West, and the West Midlands
	24,000 in the East Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber
	22,000 in the North East
	16,000 in London (except in Barking and Dagenham and in Havering, where it is 38,000).
	In 1997, the maximum Right to Buy discount in England was 50,000. The lower regional limits set out above were introduced with effect from 11 February 1999. The limits were reduced to 16,000 with effect from 27 March 2003 in 41 areas under the greatest housing pressure as evidenced by high levels of homelessness and high local house prices. Of the areas, 31 are in London, nine are in the South East, and one is in the Eastern region, as indicated.

Right-to-Buy Scheme

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of Lancashire's council housing stock was sold under the right-to-buy scheme in each year since 1980.

Yvette Cooper: The following table shows the proportions of council housing stock of local authorities in Lancashire that were sold under the right-to-buy scheme in each year since 1980.
	
		
			  Council housing stock(15) Right-to-buy Proportion of council housing stock sold under right to buy (percentage) 
		
		
			 198081 67,892 121 0.2 
			 198182 67,014 1,942 2.9 
			 198283 65,109 2,329 3.6 
			 198384 62,590 979 1.6 
			 198485 62,043 637 1.0 
			 198586 68,892 843 1.2 
			 198687 67,370 1,108 1.6 
			 198788 66,108 1,084 1.6 
			 198889 64,924 2,794 4.3 
			 198990 62,905 2,288 3.6 
			 199091 60,281 1,566 2.6 
			 199192 58,686 752 1.3 
			 199293 57,753 551 1.0 
			 199394 57,290 512 0.9 
			 199495 52,827 537 1.0 
			 199596 52,287 386 0.7 
			 199697 48,879 326 0.7 
			 199798 48,351 435 0.9 
			 199899 47,845 473 1.0 
			 19992000 46,992 612 1.3 
			 200001 39,728 582 1.5 
			 200102 37,214 621 1.7 
			 200203 36,129 899 2.5 
			 200304 35,035 1,444 4.1 
			 200405 33,425 1,098 3.3 
		
	
	(15)Excludes Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool that are now unitary authorities.
	Source:
	Numbers of right-to-buy sales are collected on the quarterly return (P1A/B) to ODPM from local authorities.

Right-to-Buy Scheme

John Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what total capital receipts have been generated from right-to-buy sales in Leeds in each year since 1980.

Yvette Cooper: The total capital receipts from right-to-buy sales of local authority dwellings in Leeds in each year from 199697 onwards are tabled as follows. Information for years prior to 199697 is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. These figures are net of discounts and are as reported by the local authority.
	
		Capital receipts
		
			  Leeds ( million) 
		
		
			 199697 11.3 
			 199798 12.8 
			 199899(16) 15.4 
			 19992000 15.5 
			 200001 18.1 
			 200102 23.1 
			 200203 34.6 
			 200304 44.6 
			 200405 66.9 
		
	
	(16)Sales during first three quarters only.
	Source:
	Quarterly P1(A/B) return received from local authorities.

Right-to-Buy Scheme

Adam Holloway: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what receipts were generated from right-to-buy sales in Gravesham in each year since the introduction of the scheme.

Yvette Cooper: The total capital receipts from right-to-buy sales of local authority dwellings in Gravesham in the years from 199697 onwards are in the following table. These figures are net of discounts and are as reported by local authorities.
	
		 million
		
			  Gravesham 
		
		
			 199697 1.3 
			 199798 1.7 
			 199899 2.5 
			 19992000 3.8 
			 200001 3.4 
			 200102 3.9 
			 200203 6.2 
			 200304 8.9 
			 200405 4.4 
		
	
	Source:
	Quarterly P1(A/B) return received from local authorities
	The information for years prior to 199697 is not centrally available.

Sick Leave

David Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of his Office's employees who are within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are currently no staff in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister who are within one year of the official retirement age and who are also on extended sick leave.

Telecommunications Masts

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, columns 20910W, on mobile telephone masts, if he will make a statement on the application of the precautionary principle as recommended by the Stewart Group and adopted by the Government.

Yvette Cooper: Since the publication of the Stewart Report the Government have introduced standards to ensure that all base stations meet the international guidelines on public exposure set by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These guidelines are five times tougher in respect of public exposure than the guidelines previously used. More generally the Government's acceptance of the precautionary approach recommended the Stewart Group is demonstrated in the way it has adopted its recommendations.

Telecommunications Masts

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the Arup Report on mobile telephone masts; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister commissioned the University of Reading and Arup to undertake an independent study to assess the impact that the code of best practice on Mobile Phone Network Development has had since its introduction, how local authorities have implemented the code and how the public perceives its operation. Plans are to publish this report in the new year and a statement will be made at that time.

Telecommunications Masts

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many planning applications have been granted for mobile phone masts in Tamworth since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1066W.

Thames Gateway

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what provision there will be for (a) older people, (b) disabled people and (c) families with children in the new housing planned for the Thames Gateway.

Yvette Cooper: New housing developments in the Thames Gateway, as elsewhere, are required to follow national planning policy for housing as set out in planning policy guidance note 3: Housing (PPG3). PPG3 expects new developments to meet the housing requirements of the whole community, including those in need of affordable and special needs housing. It seeks to provide wider housing opportunity and choice, and a better mix in the size, type and location of housing than is currently available so that new housing meets the diverse range of needs across the social spectrumincluding those of older people, disabled people and families with children. The Government also require new housing to be well-designed in order to create attractive, high-quality living environments in which people will choose to live.
	The Government are now consulting on a new national policy framework for planning for housing through draft planning policy statement 3 which was published on 5 December 2005.

Thames Gateway

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list public sector organisations involved in the regeneration of the Thames Gateway.

Yvette Cooper: The key partners are identified in Creating Sustainable Communities: Delivering the Thames Gateway (page 52), which sets out the Government's vision for and commitment to the Gateway. The Thames Gateway spans 40 miles north and south of the Thames and includes 16 local authorities. Therefore there are a large number of local organisations involved in regeneration projects in different parts of the Gateway. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister therefore announced on the 23 November that we will be publishing a strategic framework to help shape and guide investments, decisions and actions by Government and our delivery partners across the Thames Gateway.

Town and County Planning Act

Greg Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many certificates were granted under section 191 of the Town and County Planning Act 1990 in each of the last 10 years.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not held centrally by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Transport Innovation Fund

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much of the Transport Innovation Fund is to be allocated to the growth areas in each year for which information is available.

Yvette Cooper: The Transport Innovation Fund will support:
	innovative local transport packages that combine demand management measures, such as road pricing, with public transport improvement; and
	regional, inter-regional and local schemes that are beneficial to national productivity.
	The Fund is expected to increase from 290 million 200809 to over 2 billion by 201415. None of these funds have yet been allocated. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport recently announced on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 3WS, that seven areas would receive development funding to work up demand management proposals. These included Cambridge, which is part of the London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough Growth Area.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate the Valuation Office Agency has made of the number of domestic properties in England with (a) patios, (b) greenhouses and (c) scenic views.

Phil Woolas: None.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of animals used for experimentation were genetically modified, in the last year for which figures are available broken down by species .

Andy Burnham: In 2003, the last year for which information is available, there were around 764,000 procedures on genetically modified animals, which represented 27 per cent. of all regulated procedures reported in that year. The number of actual animals used is very close to the number of procedures, because nearly all animals are used once only.
	The number of procedures carried out on animals carrying a genetic modification, broken down by species and type of procedure, is given in tables three and 3.3 of the annual publication Statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain, 2003 (Cm 6291), a copy of which is in the Library. Over 97 per cent. of genetically modified animals used in 2003 were mice; most of the remainder were fish.

Asylum/Immigration

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are directly employed in making initial decisions on asylum claims, broken down by civil service grade.

Tony McNulty: The number of caseworkers making initial decisions on asylum claims in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are as follows:
	Higher executive officers59
	Executive officers183
	Administrative officers4.

Asylum/Immigration

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Libyan nationals claimed asylum in the UK in each year since 2000.

Tony McNulty: The table shows the number of asylum applications (excluding dependants) from Libyan nationals from 2000 to Q3 2005, by year. Information on asylum applications is published in quarterly web pages and in the annual statistical bulletin Asylum Statistics United Kingdom. Copies of these publications and others relating to general immigration to the UK are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	
		Asylum applications(17) received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by year, 2000 to Q3 2005nationals of Libya
		
			  Total Port In country 
		
		
			 2000 155 35 115 
			 2001 140 25 115 
			 2002 200 25 175 
			 2003 145 10 135 
			 2004(18) 160 30 125 
			 Q1 to Q3 2005(18) 95 5 90 
		
	
	(17)Figures rounded to nearest 5.
	(18)Provisional figures.

Asylum/Immigration

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what process the National Asylum Support Service awards contracts for housing asylum seekers; what safeguards are in place to ensure that best value is obtained; what terms and conditions are imposed on agencies which contract with providers of accommodation to ensure that they obtain the cheapest and best accommodation available; what process is available for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge decisions; what monitoring is undertaken by his Department to ensure transparency and absence of collusion between agencies and housing providers; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The procurement process to award contracts for housing asylum seekers is based on best practice guidelines and managed under the EU Procurement directive (Negotiated Procedure). Contracts are developed to meet the strategic aims of delivering business continuity, flexibility, value for money and maintaining community cohesion. Unsuccessful tenderers have a right of challenge under the EU directive and all challenges will be dealt with according to the EU guidance and in line with Home Office policy. As part of the procurement process all parties are expected to sign a confidentiality and non-collusion agreement and there is an auditable record of all communication between the purchasing agency and the bidding organisations.

Asylum/Immigration

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with EU Ministers about illegal immigration from North Africa into the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 5 December 2005
	The Home Secretary has held various discussions with other EU Ministers about illegal immigration from North Africa, both bilaterally and at EU level, including at recent JHA Councils and at the G5 in Evian. It has been a UK presidency priority to make progress on this issue.
	Illegal migration across the Mediterranean is an humanitarian problem affecting source, transit and host countries alike. Discussions have focused on the need to take urgent action to prevent loss of life at sea, tackle human trafficking and assist transit countries in North Africa to build capacity to manage migration flows more effectively. In parallel, there is a need for the EU and African countries to work in partnership to develop a comprehensive, long-term approach to strengthen and enhance dialogue and practical co-operation and to address the root causes of migration.
	This approach was recognised by EU Heads of State at the informal summit in London on 27 October 2005 and is strongly reflected in the Commission Communication on Priority actions for improving migration management published on 30 November 2005. The communication focuses on concrete actions that can be carried out quickly with sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean countries, as the first step in this long-term approach.

Civil Emergency Planning

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates since September 2001 local authorities and emergency services in (a) Essex, (b) Greater London and (c) England have carried out emergency drills for terrorist attacks; where such drills took place; and which agencies were involved.

Jim Murphy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government do not gather information about the number and nature of exercises carried out by local responders and which agencies were involved.
	Part 1 of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004which came fully into force on 14 November 2005establishes a statutory framework for civil protection activity at the local level. The Act sets out clear roles and responsibilities for local responders and establishes a basis for effective performance management. Under this legislation category 1 responders (eg local authorities, emergency services, health bodies) are required to maintain emergency plans and business continuity plansto ensure that they can respond effectively to the full range of emergencies, including terrorism. The legislation also requires category 1 responders to put in place a programme of exercises to ensure that these plans are effective.
	Responders' performance against the requirements set out in the Act will be monitored by their existing performance management bodies (eg Audit Commission, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary).

Criminal Records Bureau

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people working with children have completed Criminal Records Bureau checks.

Andy Burnham: The Home Office does not collate data concerning the number of people who are working with children. Therefore I am unable to provide information on the number of people working with children who have completed Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. However, during the last 12 months, the CRB processed 1,904,789 disclosure applications where a check against the Protection of Children Act 1999 (PoCA) list has been specifically requested.

Departmental Estate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the status of the old Home Office building at 50 Queen Anne's Gate.

Harriet Harman: I have been asked to reply.
	The building is currently being prepared for refurbishment by the landlord following completion of the move of the Home Office to their new premises at 2Marsham Street, on 18 April 2005. An agreement hasbeen signed between DCA and the landlord, on 5 October 2005, under which the landlord will refurbish the building before DCA take occupation. Work will start on the building on 5 December 2005 and is due for completion in November 2007.

Deportation

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what responsibility he has for deportees after the expiry of the three year period in the Memorandum of Understanding with Jordan.

Tony McNulty: There is no time limit on the operation of the majority of the understandings contained in the Memorandum. The exception to this relates to the deportee's entitlement to contact, and be visited by, a representative of the independent body in the event he is arrested, detained or imprisoned. A deportee who is arrested, detained or imprisoned within three years of his return is entitled to contact and be visited regularly by a representative of that body. Where applicable, those visits will continue beyond that three year limit. If a returned person is arrested detained or imprisoned after this three year period, there is no entitlement to contact, or be visited by, the independent body.

European Anti-crime Measures

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals to establish a European Public Prosecutor's Office to prosecute serious crime with a cross-border dimension.

Andy Burnham: Any proposal for the development of a European Public Prosecutor remains subject to ratification of the Constitutional Treaty and the unanimous agreement of the member states. There is no legal base for the creation of a European Public Prosecutor under current treaties. We remain unconvinced that the creation of a European Public Prosecutor is necessary or desirable.

Identity Cards

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether identity card database material will be shared with other EU countries; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: There will be no open access to the information held on the National Identity Register. Information may be provided with the consent of the individual under clause 14. Information may also be provided without consent under clause 19 to organisations such as the police and the security services, provided that the conditions set out in clauses 19 and 23 are met.
	Clause 20 allows information to be provided to overseas authorities in the context of criminal proceedings and investigations, as provided for in section 17 of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. In these cases both the safeguards provided under clause 23 and section 18 of the 2001 Act also apply.

Identity Cards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his latest estimate is of the (a) one-off and (b) recurring costs associated with the introduction of stand-alone identity cards.

Andy Burnham: The current best estimate for the total average running costs for issuing passports and ID cards to UK nationals, for which fees will be charged, is 584 million per annum, 70 per cent. of which is attributable to the cost of the biometric passport. Within our current best estimates of the ID cards scheme as a whole, it will be affordable to set a charge of 30 at current prices for a stand-alone ID card, valid for 10 years.
	The Home Office is not breaking this cost down further, nor publishing details of set-up costs becausethis information is commercially sensitive and discussion of estimated costs for individual elements of the scheme, such as the stand-alone identity card, may prejudice the procurement process by limiting the Department's ability to secure value for money from the market.
	The Government recognise the need to have independent assurance so the public can place trust in the figures produced. Thus, KPMG a world leading audit and accounting firm, were commissioned to produce an independent review of the costing methodology and key assumptions in the business case. They concluded that the methodology used to cost the identity cards proposals is robust and appropriate for this stage of development.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the Question on identity cards, 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 594W, when he expects his Department's work with representatives from law enforcement agencies and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will be completed.

Andy Burnham: It is planned that work to identity benefits to fight organised crime and money laundering with law enforcement agencies and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will be ongoing up to and beyond the launch of the identity cards scheme so that, along with planned activities, its potential to assist any emerging threats can be assessed.

Naturalisation

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it took to process applications for naturalisation in (a) the most recent period for which figures are available, (b) 1997 and (c) 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The most recent period for which figures are available is January/April to October 2005, at which time the overall average waiting time for naturalisation applications was 4.16 months. This figure is provisional and subject to change. For periods prior to 1 April 2004, we cannot provide the waiting time figure purely for naturalisation applications. Waiting time data covers all nationality applications received by Nationality Group, including naturalisation, registration (adult and minor) and renunciations. Overall average waiting time in 1997 was 14.26 months and in 2001 was 10.51 months. These figures are for the calendar years.

Passports

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column 868W, on passports, if he will break down the number of passports recorded as lost between the London and Peterborough passport offices.

Andy Burnham: The number of recorded reports for lost or stolen passports that were received at either the London or Peterborough office, since 1 April 2004, now stands at 152,470. This is broken down as follows:
	
		Passports: lost or stolen
		
			  Number lost Number stolen 
		
		
			 Peterborough 78,402 31,373 
			
			 London 34,602 8,093

Port Security

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to introduce 24 hour security at UK ports.

Tony McNulty: Immigration coverage of international flight arrivals is based upon a range of factors, including the nature and frequency of traffic and the numbers of passengers requiring leave to enter at each port.
	There are currently 41 manned ports, of which 16 are staffed 24 hours a day. Other ports are covered on a risk assessed basis. Officers are deployed to unmanned ports to meet specific arrivals where necessary. The provision of advance passenger information by carriers under the e-Borders programme will increase the Border Agencies' ability to conduct risk assessments and deploy resources in a targeted manner.
	There are no plans to have personnel manning the ports 24 hours a day. We are however extending the Immigration Service mobile response capacity, based on intelligence, to respond to any new or emerging threats.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Barry Courthouse

David Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the last valuation was of the Barry court house; and whether this was undertaken for (a) commercial and (b) residential purposes.

Harriet Harman: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) last visited Barry magistrates court for the purposes of valuing it in September, 2004. The valuation basis used by the VOA was depreciated replacement cost (DRC) as this is a specialised building with separate circulation routes and custodial facilities (three cells). The value of the site at 31 March 2005 was 2,674,000. Barry magistrates courts was valued in common with other magistrates courts as it transferred under the Courts Act 2003 to the Department of Constitutional Affairs on 31 March 2005.

Civil Service Relocation (Scotland)

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many departmental civil service jobs have been relocated to Scotland in each year since 2001.

Harriet Harman: No posts have been relocated to Scotland since 2001.

Departmental Expenditure

Martin Horwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the Department and its agencies have spent on (a) the design and production of new logos and (b) employing external (i) public relations and (ii) graphic design agencies in each year since 2000, broken down by project.

Harriet Harman: My Department and a list of its agencies which have spent the following amounts on design and production of logos and employing external public relations agencies since 2000 is set out below.
	
		(a) Expenditure on design and production of new logos -- 
		
			 Agencies Logos Amount 
		
		
			 FY 200001   
			 Council on Tribunals New organisational logo 575 
			 Law Commission New organisational logo 7,500 
			 FY 200203   
			 Commission for Judicial Appointments Logo for new public body: CJA 1,350 
			 FY 200304   
			 DCA Logo for new Department 25,000 
			 HM Courts Service Logo for new agency: HMCS 20,000 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service Logo for new public body: NI Legal Services Commission 12,705 
			 FY 200405   
			 DCA Logo for Freedom of Information Act 12,842 
			 FY 2005061   
			 DCA Logos for new public bodies: Commission for Judicial Appointments, Office for Judicial Complaints, Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman 35,000 
			 Judicial Studies Board Logo for the European Judicial Training Network General Assembly 1,600 
			 HM Inspectorate of Court Administration Logo for new agency: HMICA 5,850 
		
	
	(19)To date.
	
		(b) Expenditure on employing external public relations agencies -- 
		
			 Commission for Judicial Appointments Amount 
		
		
			 200203 12,000 
			 200304 37,360 
			 200405 48,900 
			 200506 33,350 
		
	
	(20)To date.
	Information on employing graphic design agencies since 2000 is not centrally held. To collate the information would be disproportionate to cost.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many staff in her Department have been relocated into London and the South East in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Harriet Harman: There has been no relocation of jobs intoLondon and the South East. The Department for Constitutional Affairs does not hold records on individual staff who may have relocated through the normal course of internal staff movement.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to relocate staff in her Department and related agencies into London and the South East.

Harriet Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has no plans to relocate staff into London and the South East.

Departmental Tendering Policy

Martin Horwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her Department's policy is on including (a) ethical and (b) environmental factors in tenders for services.

Harriet Harman: My Department lets contracts in accordance with the general principles of EU Community law, which are non-discrimination, equal treatment, transparency, proportionality, and mutual recognition. In addition, my Department's standard contract documents make clear its policies on matters such as equality and diversity, and, that suppliers should demonstrate the same values.
	Environmental factors in contracts let by my Department are considered on a case by case basis relative to the subject matter of the contract, and the requirements of EU Community law.

Human Rights Act

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance her Department has given the English Regional Chambers on the implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 21 November 2005, Official Report, column 1700W.

Human Rights Act

Paul Burstow: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, columns 64041W, on the Human Rights Act, what the (a) name and (b) publication date is of the guidance to local authorities; and if she will place a copy in the Library.

Harriet Harman: The Guidance on Contracting for Services in the light of the Human Rights Act 1998 was first published in May 2005, and was republished in November 2005. It is available on the websites of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and of the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and I have placed a copy in the Library.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i)integrating the proposed identity card scheme into her Department's IT systems and (ii) the ongoing operation of the scheme within her Department.

Harriet Harman: The Department for Constitutional Affairs has, in consultation with the Identity Cards Programme, commenced work on calculating costs in the areas where ID cards will be used in the departmentboth in terms of integrating with the IT systems and the ongoing operational impact. This information is commercially sensitive and to release it may prejudice the procurement process and the Department's ability to obtain value for money from potential suppliers.
	The Department is represented on the Ministerial Committee on Identity Cards which oversees the work on benefits planning and realisation.
	We believe that operational benefits will be realised through the use of ID cards particularly in areas where the identity of individuals will assist in the delivery of front line services. As improvements in our business processes are identified we will consider changes to our IT systems to derive the maximum benefit.

Judges

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of disabled people serving as judges.

Harriet Harman: My Department has been working with organisations and individuals with an expertise or interest in, or experience of, disability, including the Disability Rights Commission and a number of serving judges, to develop an action plan to promote judicial appointment to potential candidates who are disabled, and to ensure that issues of reasonable adjustment are properly dealt with, both for disabled candidates and for serving judges who have or develop a disability. The action plan was published on my Department's website (www.dca.gov.uk) on 2 November and I have today placed a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The same organisations and individuals will be involved in implementing the action plan, through a joint working group with departmental officials.

Land Registry Adjudicator

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the Adjudicator to the Land Registry was appointed; how many cases have been referred to him; how many cases have been resolved; and what the average length of time taken to resolve each case has been since the appointment of the Adjudicator.

Harriet Harman: The Adjudicator, Mr. Cousins, was appointed to post in September 2003. The Office of the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry came into force in October 2003.
	From October 2003 until October 2005 the total number of cases referred to the office of the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry was 2,853.
	From October 2003 until October 2005 a total of 2,059 cases have been disposed of.
	The information requested for the average length of time to resolve each case cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Legal Services (Ribble Valley)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has for a specialist domestic violence court in Ribble Valley.

Bridget Prentice: The Department for Constitutional Affairs wrote to all magistrates courts committees on 15 December 2004 asking for expressions of interest in setting up a specialist DV court (SDVC).
	The Lancashire area was among those who responded and included in the selection process for establishing 25 specialist domestic violence court systems across England and Wales.
	Lancashire has a roll out programme in place for SDVC's across the Criminal Justice Area, Ribble Valley is included.
	The timing for the setting up of individual courts is currently being decided between the Government Office for the North West Region and the Local Criminal Justice Boards and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships within the area.

Legal Services (Ribble Valley)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what proportion of the magistrates sitting at Ribble Valley magistrates courts are female.

Harriet Harman: The Ribble Valley is covered by the Blackburn, Darwen and Ribble Valley Local Justice Area.
	72 out of 157 magistrates (45.9 per cent.) in the Blackburn, Darwen and Ribble Valley are female.

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether victims in cases covered by the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill are included in the proposals made in the consultation document Hearing the Relatives of Murder and Manslaughter Victims; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The proposals for victims' advocates set out in the consultation paper Hearing the Relatives of Murder and Manslaughter Victims apply to cases tried only in England and Wales.

Rape Trials

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many rape trials in which all proceedings are complete have been conducted in (a) Darlington Crown court, (b) Carlisle Crown court, (c) Newcastle Crown court and (d) York Crown court under the revised definition of that offence in the Sexual Offences Act 2003; and what verdicts have been returned in each case.

Harriet Harman: Departmental records show the following figures for completed rape trials and their verdict under the revised definition of that offence under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 at Carlisle Crown court, Newcastle Crown court and York Crown court. We cannot supply figures for Darlington, as the Crown court does not sit there.
	
		
			  Carlisle Newcastle York 
		
		
			 Trials 7 9 11 
			 Acquittal 3 4 7 
			 Conviction 4 5 3 
			 Jury unable to agree   1

Royal Marriage

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether HRH the Prince of Wales asked (a) before and (b) since his marriage in April that legislation be introduced to make his marriage morganatic; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: No.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how adults without a qualification at level 2 are prioritised in the (a) learndirect and (b) nextstep services.

Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council delivers an integrated information and advice service on learning and work through the national learndirect telephone and online service, and 47 local nextstep partnerships. The information services which learndirect and nextstep provide are freely available to all adults, and there is no prioritisation. The more resource intensive advice services which learndirect and nextstep deliver are targeted primarily on those who do not have a full level 2 qualification, since they are more likely to lack the skills foundation for employability and lifelong learning. Within those who lack a full level 2, nextstep face-to-face advice services are further prioritised towards people aged 50 and over, or who have learning difficulties or disabilities.

Autism

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Government have approved the Son-Rise programme for public funding for the treatment of autism.

Maria Eagle: It is for schools and local authorities to decide on provision for children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) in individual cases. The Option (Son-Rise) programme is one of the interventions listed in my Department's and the Department of Health's Good Practice Guidance on ASDs as an intervention which is available to use for individual children. The guidance makes clear that listing does not constitute an endorsement of the intervention by the Department's Autism Working Group. A number of local authorities have funded Son-Rise programmes for individual children through statements of special educational needs.

Childminders

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding has been given to support childminder networks in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds West constituency in 200506.

Beverley Hughes: Developing robust childminder networks attached to children's centres and extended schools is one of the objectives set out in the 10 year strategy for childcare. The Government have given local authorities the scope to use funding flexibly to develop and sustain childcare services, rather than allocate funds for specific purposes. Leeds city council will receive 405,982 over 200406 for the sustainability element of their Sure Start general grant. They will decide how much is required to support childminder networks, and where to direct this funding. The council can also use a proportion of their children's centre revenue funding (1,615,171 over 200406) on network development to meet the requirement to integrate childminders with children's centre services.
	Leeds city council currently supports a city-wide network of 125 childminders using Sure Start funding. Work to link these childminders closely with children's centres and extended schools is ongoing, including the five centres developing in the Leeds West constituency.

Employer Training

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2005, Official Report, column 2056W, on employer training, what definition she uses of a fair contribution for employers to pay towards the cost of wider employee training.

Phil Hope: We do not expect employers to pay for employees to attain the skills they need to give them a sound basis for sustainable employment in the economy. That is why we have introduced an entitlement to free training for adults who lack basic skills or a first full level 2 qualification. Beyond this, where there are tangible returns to business, the Government believe it is right that employers make an appropriate contribution to the cost of training provided through the further education system. We expect this contribution to grow to 50 per cent.of course fees costsby 2010. This is what we stated in the LSCs 'priorities for success' in October 2005.

Employer Training

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) employers and (b) employees who were eligible signed up for employer training pilots in the last year for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: A report by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) published in March 2005, Platform for Progression: Employer Training Pilots Year 2 Evaluation Report found that at the end of the second year of the pilots almost 12,000 workplaces were involved in the 12 phase 1 and 2 pilots. Some 10 per cent. of eligible employers were involved12 per cent. in the phase 1 pilots and 8.5 per cent. in phase 2. Take-up had been stronger in the second year of the pilots than the first and take-up levels varied significantly by pilot area. 80,000 learners had signed up, around 4 per cent. of the eligible population.
	These figures will be updated in the IES Evaluation Report of Year 3 of ETP which we expect to publish early in 2006.

Employer Training

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the National Employer training programme will continue with the Employer Training Pilot model of weighting funding towards the successful completion of qualifications by participating employees.

Phil Hope: Yes. The new national employer training programmewhich will be known as Train to Gainwill pay 50 per cent. of the tuition costs on successful completion of the qualification by the learner. This is the same approach as currently operates in the Employer Training Pilots.

Every Child Matters Youth Board

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the Every Child Matters Youth Board.

Beverley Hughes: The Government committed to forming a Children and Youth Board in Every Child Matters: the Next Steps. The Board was set up so that children and young people could gather the views of their peers on the issues that affect them. These views are then used to provide direct advice on the development of national policy and the design of services to the Minister for Children Young People and Families and to officials in the department.
	The 2005/06 Board consists of 25 children and young people aged between 819, with five under 12-years-old. The children and young people are from the nine Government office regions and also include two representatives from each of the two devolved Administrations. The Minister for Children, Young People and Families meets the Board regularly.

Free Nursery Places

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many three and four-year- olds in Leeds West constituency are in free nursery places.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998 and from April 2004 this entitlement was extended to all three-year-olds. The free entitlement consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised childcare places but this information is not collected centrally.
	Figures for January 2005 show that all four-year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three years olds is 96 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents 535,100 three-year-olds and 568,300 four-year-olds.
	In January 2005 in Leeds local authority there were 7,100 free nursery places taken up by three-year-old children. The equivalent figure for four year olds was 7,600. Information for private and voluntary providers is not currently available for Leeds West constituency in 2005.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 43/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in England-January 2005 (final) in September, which is available on my Department's website:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000604/index.shtml

Noise Pollution

Alan Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the exposure of children to aircraft noise (a) during the school day, (b) in the evening and (c) at weekends.

Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has not had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on this subject. I have however met with Cllr Ruth Cadbury from the London borough of Hounslow and expressed my concern that the challenges faced by schools under or near the flight path approach of Heathrow and its new runway are fully addressed.

Ofsted Reports

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to enable state schools to have a right of appeal to the parliamentary ombudsman in relation to Ofsted reports.

Jacqui Smith: Where a school is dissatisfied with the outcome of Ofsted's internal consideration of a complaint about an inspection, it has the right to have the case re-examined by the Independent Complaints Adjudicator, appointed by the Secretary of State.
	The role of the parliamentary ombudsman is to protect private persons in their relations with the Executive. As a consequence, complaints from bodies constituted for purposes of the public service fall outside the remit of the ombudsman. However, there may be specific circumstances in which those involved in a school inspection may appeal to the ombudsman, in particular, where it can be demonstrated that maladministration has caused them a personal injustice.

Online Message Boards

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's policy is on the use of online message boards for public consultations.

Phil Hope: My Department does not have a specific policy on the use of online message boards for public consultations.
	The Department uses an online consultation systemto enable respondents to contribute to public consultations.

Positive Action for Young People (Croydon)

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of the Positive Action for Young People funding stream from the Government office for London was made available to the London borough of Croydon in 200405.

Maria Eagle: In 200405, 213,662 was made available from the Positive Activities for Young Peopleprogramme (PAYP) to the London borough of Croydon. Total expenditure in the London region in 200405 was 13,471,088.

Prison Service (Learning and Skills)

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was paid to HM Prison Service by her Department for the post of Head of Learning and Skills for the last three years; what the projected expenditure is for these posts over the next five years; and what the projected costs over the next five years are for the Learning and Skills Co-ordinator posts in prisons in the south-west.

Phil Hope: The following table sets out the budget allocated to the Prison Service by the Department for Education and Skills for Heads of Learning and Skills posts for the last three years.
	
		 million
		
			  Budget 
		
		
			 200304 1.96 
			 200405 7.00 
			 200506 7.56 
		
	
	Expenditure for 200607 is expected to be the same as 200506. Budgets for future years have not yet been set.
	Expenditure for the Learning and Skills Co-ordinator posts in the south-west is 455,000 for 200506. Budgets for future years have not yet been set.

School Deficits (Essex)

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Essex are expected to run a deficit in the current financial year; and what the reasons given for a deficit are in each case.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not yet available. The Department is due to collect the section 52 out-turn data relating to the 200506 financial year from October 2006.

Sexual Abuse

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action her Department is taking to prevent sexual abuse involving children.

Maria Eagle: The Government's guidance documents 'What to do if you you're worried a child is being abused' (2003), 'Safeguarding Children in Education', and 'Statutory guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004' set out the roles and responsibilities of practitioners who work with children, and of a wide range of organisations, to promote children's welfare and safeguard them from harm. We are currently revising 'Working Together to Safeguard Children', the core inter-agency guidance on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The revised version will include updated guidance on female genital mutilation, forced marriage, child prostitution and internet safety. My Department is leading work to update the National Plan to Prevent the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and is contributing to the Home Office review of prostitution. We provide support for the Stop It Now! campaign run by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and also to ChildLine. We are implementing the recommendations of the Bichard Inquiry relating to improved vetting arrangements for workers with children and the provision of training for school governors and head teachers to ensure that staff selection interviews reflect the importance of safeguarding.

Sexual Abuse

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance is given to schools to encourage children to report acts of sexual abuse.

Maria Eagle: My Department's guidance for all local authority education departments, schools (including independent schools) and further education colleges in England, 'Safeguarding Children in Education', explains the duty, roles and responsibilities placed upon them by sections 157 and 175 of the Education Act 2002 to carry out their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The guidance makes clear that schools should demonstrate to children that they are in a safe environment where they will be listened to, and that schools should have a child protection policy in place, which emphasises the importance of listening to children and taking their concerns seriously.

Sexual Abuse

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions she has had with children's charities about child sex abuse.

Maria Eagle: In November I addressed the annual conference of the Coalition for the Removal of Pimping (CROP). My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families, has recently written to the NSPCC in response to their recent 'Talk 'til it Stops' campaign, which asked the Government to introduce and resource public awareness campaigns to prevent child abuse.

Sick Leave

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many of her Department's employees who are within one year of the official retirement age are on extended sick leave.

Maria Eagle: My Department remains committed to managing sickness absence effectively and to putting in place the recommendations of the recently published report Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector.
	There is currently one person within one year of the official retirement age on extended sick leave.

Sixth-form College (Shrewsbury)

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will visit the sixth-form college in Shrewsbury.

Ruth Kelly: My Ministers and I are keen to visit educational establishments of all types and get many invitations, which we try to accept as far as our diaries permit.

Special Advisers

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the names of the special advisers who have served in her Department since 2001; what the dates of service were of each; and what policy areas each covered.

Maria Eagle: holding answer 2 December 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1257W.
	Special advisers support their Ministers across the range of the Department's policy areas. Their responsibilities are set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers which is available in the House Libraries.

Special Educational Needs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children received a statement of special education needs in (a) each local authority in Essex, (b) each London borough and (c) England in the last year for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Children for whom a statement was issued for the first time during calendar year 2004
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 England 25,990 
			 Essex 630 
			 Southend-on-Sea 92 
			 Thurrock 164 
			   
			 London 4,521 
			 Inner London 1,711 
			 Camden 179 
			 City of London (21) 
			 Hackney 149 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 104 
			 Haringey 137 
			 Islington 102 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 36 
			 Lambeth 143 
			 Lewisham 182 
			 Newham 45 
			 Southwark 178 
			 Tower Hamlets 190 
			 Wandsworth 165 
			 Westminster 97 
			   
			 Outer London 2,810 
			 Barking and Dagenham 114 
			 Barnet 116 
			 Bexley 208 
			 Brent 156 
			 Bromley 152 
			 Croydon 240 
			 Ealing 156 
			 Enfield 188 
			 Greenwich 149 
			 Harrow 108 
			 Havering 94 
			 Hillingdon 100 
			 Hounslow 230 
			 Kingston upon Thames 98 
			 Merton 165 
			 Redbridge 168 
			 Richmond upon Thames 75 
			 Sutton 107 
			 Waltham Forest 186 
		
	
	(21)Fewer than five pupils.
	Source:
	SEN2 Survey.

Sure Start

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children living in (a) Leeds and (b) Leeds West constituency are participating in Sure Start schemes.

Beverley Hughes: There are eight Sure Start local programmes in Leeds reaching a total of 6,026 children under the age of four. Sure Start Seacroft covers 1,345 children; Sure Start Bramley covers 993 children; Sure Start Middleton covers 502 children; Sure Start Chapeltown covers 783 children; Sure Start Beeston Hill covers 905 children; Sure Start Burley covers 466 children; Sure Start Harehills covers 499 children and Sure Start Little London involves 533 children under four. All eight Sure Start local programmes are part of or are becoming children's centres. There are also 24 neighbourhood nurseries in Leeds providing 730 full day care places. 13 of these nurseries are involved in becoming children's centres.
	In 200406, Leeds planned to develop 25 children's centres reaching a total of 10,706 children under the age of five. 14 of these centres have been designated as children's centres by the Sure Start unit and eleven have received approval to proceed.
	Five of these children's centres are based within the Leeds West constituency serving a total of 2,450 children under five; two have been designated as children's centres. There are also two Sure Start local programmes within the constituency covering 1,458 children under four; both are part of children's centres. There are four neighbourhood nurseries based within Leeds West, offering a total of 147 full day care places.

University Staff (Salaries)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Education and Skills what discussions the Department has had with the relevant trade unions on the salaries of university staff.

Bill Rammell: The Department has had no such discussions. Universities are autonomous and responsible for determining their own academic and administrative affairs, including deciding what to pay their own staff. Pay and conditions of service are subject to negotiations between employers, their staff and their representative trade union bodies. The Government plays no part in this.

Youth Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was made available for youth services in (a) England, (b) Staffordshire and (c) Tamworth constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Maria Eagle: From 200304, and the introduction of Formula Spending Shares, there has been a Youth and Community sub-block containing unhypothecated resources for the Youth Service, among other items. Subsequently, authorities' planned expenditure on Youth and Community activities has been separately recorded on their section 52 budget statements each year.
	The following table shows the planned expenditure on Youth and Community activities for both Staffordshire and England, using information provided by authorities to the Department.
	The figures for England and Staffordshire are in the following table:
	
		
		
			 Financial year England Staffordshire 
		
		
			 200304 516,853,232 7,231,835 
			 200405 528,637,156 7,358,625 
			 200506 545,410,613 7,588,790 
		
	
	All LEAs including Staffordshire have received additional funding via the Transforming Youth Work Development Fund (replaced in 200506 by Transforming Youth Work Performance Improvement Fund) and SENDA funds. The allocations to Staffordshire were:
	
		
		
			 Financial year SENDA capital SENDA revenue TYWDF/TYWPIF 
		
		
			 200203 91,911 25,067 307,280 
			 200304 108,407 25,017 123,908 
			 200405 75,051 16,678 122,279 
			 200506 (22) (22) 147,870 
		
	
	(22)Not applicable
	DfES does not collect funding information on Tamworth as information is gathered by local authority area.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Recipients

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals in Scotland are in receipt of at least one social security benefit.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. It is not possible to separate those receiving only housing benefit and council tax benefit from the overall figures.
	The available information was in the written answer I gave the hon. Member on 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 607W.

Benefit Recipients

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to improve take-up of benefits provided by his Department in the top 125 most deprived lower layer super output areas as identified in the 2005 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation; and what discussions he has had on this issue with the Welsh Assembly Government.

James Plaskitt: Although the Department is not taking any steps specifically aimed at take-up of benefits in these areas, it maintains close working relationships at operational level with local authorities and the voluntary sector across the country, to ensure that all those entitled to services and benefits from the Department receive them.
	Nationally, we have recently begun the third annual publicity and marketing awareness campaign aimed at getting everyone who is entitled to council tax benefit to claim it.
	We are continuing, nationally, to make contact with those households that are likely to be eligible to pension credit. Activity has included direct mail, telephone calls and, where appropriate, home visits. The Pension Service's Local Service is working closely with local partners including Help the Aged and Age Concern to help ensure pensioners take up their entitlements.
	As with all matters relating to the Department's responsibilities, we maintain ongoing dialogue with the Welsh Assembly Government at an operational level.

Child Maintenance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of assessed Child Support Agency cases had maintenance collected via deduction of earnings orders in each quarter since 1994; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of assessed Child Support Agency cases had maintenance collected via deduction of earnings orders in each quarter since 1994; and if he will make a statement.
	The available information is presented in the attached table.
	I hope you find this helpful.
	
		The number of cases that had a deduction from earnings order (DEO) in place as a method of maintenance collection from November 1995 to September 2005:
		
			 Quarter ending Cases with DEO as method of maintenance collection Total number of cases with a maintenance liability Percentage of cases with DEO as method of maintenance collection 
		
		
			 1995
			 November 24,000 252,000 10 
			 
			 1996
			 February 28,000 267,000 11 
			 May 29,000 279,000 10 
			 August 29,000 291,000 10 
			 November 34,000 307,000 11 
			 
			 1997
			 February 38,000 323,000 12 
			 May 42,000 334,000 12 
			 August 45,000 352,000 13 
			 November 50,000 372,000 13 
			 
			 1998
			 February 53,000 389,000 14 
			 May 57,000 410,000 14 
			 August 62,000 430,000 14 
			 November 65,000 443,000 15 
			 
			 1999
			 February 68,000 461,000 15 
			 May 71,000 483,000 15 
			 August 72,000 499,000 14 
			 November 75,000 515,000 15 
			 
			 2000
			 February 78,000 527,000 15 
			 May 81,000 539,000 15 
			 August 83,000 544,000 15 
			 November 89,000 546,000 16 
			 
			 2001
			 February 92,000 545,000 17 
			 May 95,000 547,000 17 
			 August 97,000 551,000 18 
			 November 97,000 557,000 17 
			 
			 2002
			 February 100,000 561,000 18 
			 May 100,000 567,000 18 
			 August 101,000 561,000 18 
			 November 102,000 564,000 18 
			 
			 2003
			 February 92,000 503,000 18 
			 May
			 August
			 November
			 
			 2004
			 February
			 May 94,000 563,000 17 
			 August 99,000 579,000 17 
			 November 103,000 589,000 18 
			 
			 2005
			 February 108,000 603,000 18 
			 May 112,000 620,000 18 
			 August 119,000 638,000 19 
			 September 122,000 651,000 19 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to the nearest whole number.
	2.Robust information covering the period May 2003 to February 2004 is not currently available.
	3.Information prior to November 1995 is not provided as management information is not available.
	4.The above includes those old scheme cases with a full maintenance assessment, and those new scheme cases with either a full maintenance calculation, or a default maintenance decision. Old scheme cases with a punitive interim maintenance assessment (an imposed assessment due to the non co-operation of the non resident parent), a small number of which would have deductions from earnings orders in place, are excluded from this analysis in line with the Agency's target definitions, as are new scheme cases being processed clerically.
	5.These figures include all cases with a maintenance liability with the exception of around 5,000 cases for which the method of payment is unknown.

Child Support Agency

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children in Northamptonshire have been supported by parental payments made through the Child Support Agency in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The information can not be broken down to the geographical level requested.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many change requests have been made to the Child Support Agency's new computer system in each year since 200304; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many change requests have been made to the Child Support Agency's new computer system in each year since 200304.
	The process for notifying EDS of any elements of the system that do not fully enable us to meet our functional requirements involves making a request for change. This does not necessarily mean that a change to the underlying requirement has taken place. The change is commonly a defect discovered during testing or live operation.
	In 2003/4 we introduced 32 agreed changes to the original requirement, 11 in 2004/5 and 4 to date in 2005/6.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress there has been with tackling (a) computer problems and (b) telephone problems at the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is matter for the chief executive Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress there has been with tackling (a) computer problems and (b) telephone problems at the Child Support Agency.
	As a result of the remedial work carried out over the past 18 months, the computer system stability, availability and performance are much improved, in most cases now achieving and maintaining agreed technical service-level standards.
	There have been significant technical improvements made to the performance of the telephony system, including recent upgrading of call-management software, resulting in a measured improvement in the stability and availability of the telephony service. There are further planned telephone service improvements, which will mainly centre around enabling faster responses, and more consistent availability of staff who can deal with a client's call.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Child Support Agency

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the key performance metrics are for measuring the success of the EDS contract with the Child Support Agency.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the key performance metrics for measuring the success of the EDS contract with the Child Support Agency are.
	The Departmental wide contract with EDS sets out a number of performance related criteria that are designed to measure their ability to deliver the operational services. The Department monitors the achievement or otherwise of these measures and where applicable it can apply financial remedies to EDS for poor performance.
	The main criteria on which EDS performance is measured in respect of CS2 are:
	The level of system availability (where the target is 99.2%);
	Response times (where the target is 95% of responses within 3seconds); and
	Accuracy and timeliness of payments to parents with care (where the target is 100%).
	In addition as part of the CS2 commercial settlement with EDS they have agreed to a deliver a staged and specified programme of work. The Department has retained substantial sums of money that will be released over time as and when EDS deliver on their commitments.
	I hope you find this helpful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will break down the Child Support Agency's compliance figures by the income band of the non-resident parent.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not currently available.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deduction of earning orders were in place at the Child Support Agency in each year from 199798 to 200405; what proportion of cases this represented in each year; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 5 December 2005
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 December 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many deduction of earning orders have been in place at the Child Support Agency in each year from 1997 to 2005; what proportion of cases this represents in each year; and if he will make a statement.
	The available information is presented in the attached table.
	I hope you find this helpful.
	
		Number of cases that had a deduction from earnings order (DEO) in place as a method of maintenance collection from November 1995 to September 2005
		
			 Quarter ending Cases with DEO as method of maintenance collection Total number of cases with a maintenance liability Percentage of cases with DEO as method of maintenance collection 
		
		
			 November 1995 24,000 252,000 10 
			 February 1996 28,000 267,000 11 
			 May 1996 29,000 279,000 10 
			 August 1996 29,000 291,000 10 
			 November 1996 34,000 307,000 11 
			 February 1997 38,000 323,000 12 
			 May 1997 42,000 334,000 12 
			 August 1997 45,000 352,000 13 
			 November 1997 50,000 372,000 13 
			 February 1998 53,000 389,000 14 
			 May 1998 57,000 410,000 14 
			 August 1998 62,000 430,000 14 
			 November 1998 65,000 443,000 15 
			 February 1999 68,000 461,000 15 
			 May 1999 71,000 483,000 15 
			 August 1999 72,000 499,000 14 
			 November 1999 75,000 515,000 15 
			 February 2000 78,000 527,000 15 
			 May 2000 81,000 539,000 15 
			 August 2000 83,000 544,000 15 
			 November 2000 89,000 546,000 16 
			 February 2001 92,000 545,000 17 
			 May2001 95,000 547,000 17 
			 August 2001 97,000 551,000 18 
			 November 2001 97,000 557,000 17 
			 February 2002 100,000 561,000 18 
			 May 2002 100,000 567,000 18 
			 August 2002 101,000 561,000 18 
			 November 2002 102,000 564,000 18 
			 February 2003 92,000 503,000 18 
			 May 2003
			 August 2003
			 November 2003
			 February 2004
			 May 2004 94,000 563,000 17 
			 August 2004 99,000 579,000 17 
			 November 2004 103,000 589,000 18 
			 February 2005 108,000 603,000 18 
			 May 2005 112,000 620,000 18 
			 August 2005 119,000 638,000 19 
			 September 2005 122,000 651,000 19 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Number are rounded to the nearest 1,000 and percentages to the nearest whole number.
	2.Robust information covering the period May 2003 to February 2004 is not currently available.
	3.Information prior to November 1995 is not provided as management information is not available.
	4.The figures includes those old scheme cases with a full maintenance assessment, and those new scheme cases with either a full maintenance calculation, or a default maintenance decision. Old scheme cases with a punitive interim maintenance assessment (an imposed assessment due to the non co-operation of the Non Resident Parent), a small number of which would have deductions from earnings orders in place, are excluded from this analysis in line with the Agency's target definitions, as are new scheme cases being processed clerically.
	5.These figures include all cases with a maintenance liability with the exception of around 5,000 cases for which the method of payment is unknown.

Child Support Agency

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases in which the Child Support Agency was seeking to make the flat rate deduction in child maintenance where the non-resident parent was on benefit in each year since 2003 the request was subsequently found to be for a different benefit from the one being claimed.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what problems remain to be fully resolved with the Child Support Agency computer system.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is matter for the chief executive Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 8 December 2005
	In reply to your Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what problems remain to be fully resolved with the Child Support Agency computer system.
	Under the terms of the recently-completed commercial settlement, EDS will complete the new computer system (CS2) to an agreed specification, up to the point of providing system capability for conversion of cases onto the new rules. This will include correcting all currently-agreed system defects and running any scans necessary, without further cost. The Department will retain a proportion of payments conditional upon timely completion of this work to the required standards of quality. In addition EDS has agreed to make no further charges for the old (CSCS) computer system until June 2008.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

Housing Benefit

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria he used in determining whether to continue the single room rent upper limit on housing benefit provisions for those aged under 25 years.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stafford, (Mr. Kidney), on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 13W.

Housing Benefit

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment the Government have made of the effect of the age discrimination clauses in the Equality Bill of the legality of the single room rent upper limit on housing benefit provisions for those aged under 25 years.

James Plaskitt: There are no clauses in the Equality Bill which introduce (or extend) protection against discrimination on grounds of age.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the (a) total and (b) net cost of (i) integrating the proposed Identity Card Scheme into his Department's IT systems and (ii)the ongoing operation of the scheme within his Department.

James Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions has, in consultation with the Identity Cards programme, developed its current best estimate of the cost of using the ID Cards Scheme to support the services which it oversees and these costs have been incorporated into the business case. The Department is represented on the Ministerial Committee on Identity Cards which oversees the work on benefits planning and realisation.
	In deriving these estimates account has to be taken of the types of use required to support the particular services which this Department oversees. Not all services will require a high degree of integration between the Identity Cards Scheme and other IT systems. Where there may be a need for integration, some costs can be absorbed into the usual cycles of system upgrades and technology refreshes.
	We cannot release the detailed estimated costs for integrating IT systems and the ongoing operation of the Identity Cards Scheme within the Department and the services which it oversees at this stage as these elements may be acquired from the market. The estimates are therefore commercially sensitive and to release them may prejudice the procurement process and the Department's ability to obtain value for money from potential suppliers.

Jobcentre Plus

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus clients live more than 20 miles away from their nearest Jobcentre Plus office; and what arrangements are made to assist with their travel requirements.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Leslie Strathie, dated 8 December 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning how many Jobcentre Plus clients live more than 20 miles away from their nearest Jobcentre Plus office; and what arrangements are made to assist with their travel requirements. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We do not hold information on the distance our customers have to travel to their nearest Jobcentre Plus office. However, this government is investing in modern, welcoming offices which provide a single point of access to Jobcentre Plus services. Previously, a customer may have had to visit a Jobcentre to access job vacancies, and a social security office to arrange payment of benefit. The new service brings both together in an integrated, personal service for customers. In fact, customers in receipt of benefit other than Jobseeker's Allowance have increased access to our offices, as there will be approximately double the number of Jobcentre Plus locations compared with the number of social security offices they could have previously contacted.
	In planning the new network of Jobcentre Plus offices, local managers take into account many factors including population spread, availability and cost of public transport and the distance between offices. We aim to locate our new offices where there are good transport links. Inevitably as the office network changes, there will be some customers who will find they will have to travel further. Jobcentre Plus is actively working with local partners to ensure these hard to reach communities have access to services.
	In many locations, particularly rural locations, we are often able to provide outreach facilities, ensuring access to job vacancies, advice and information through third party premises. In practice this means that with our new network, very few of our customers would have to travel more than 20 miles to access Jobcentre Plus services, other than in the most remote rural areas.
	Customers are now using our offices differently. More of our face-to-face customer contact is on an appointment basis and information on job vacancies is readily available by telephone and the internet. This enables staff in our offices to focus on those customers in greatest need of support.
	There are long established rules for reimbursing travelling costs for Jobseeker's Allowance customers attending a Work Focused Interview, principally where the interview does not fall on their normal signing day. For normal fortnightly attendance to sign-on, customers are expected to meet the cost of their journey to the office. Where the closure of an office means customers having to travel over an hour to the nearest office, we will consider if postal signing is appropriate. Customers in receipt of Income Support and Incapacity Benefit can claim for reimbursement of their expenses in a similar way when requested to attend the office.

Link-Age Pilots

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 November 2005, Official Report, column 548W, on the Link-Age pilots, where each pilot is located; and how each pilot will be evaluated.

Stephen Timms: The pilot sites for the second phase of Link-Age are in the process of being agreed DWP is working in partnership with the Department of Health, the social exclusion unit, Better Government for Older People, Help the Aged, Age Concern, Citizens Advice Bureau, and the Local Government Association to identify the criteria against which the pilots will be selected. An evaluation plan is being designed alongside the pilot selection criteria. The location of pilot sites and the evaluation plan will be announced shortly.

Pension Credit

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Stroud (a) received the state pension and (b) (i) applied for and (ii) received pension credit in each of the last five years; and what the average pension credit payment was in each year.

Stephen Timms: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		Number of people in Stroud parliamentary constituency receiving state pension in each of the last 5 years
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 May 2005 21,300 
			 May 2004 21,000 
			 May 2003 20,500 
			 May 2002 20,300 
			 March 2001 20,000 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (100 per cent. data) and 5 per cent. sample data
	Information on the number of people who have applied for pension credit is not available in respect of individual constituencies. pension credit was introduced from October 2003. Information on numbers of households and individuals in receipt of pension credit at 30 June 2005 is contained in the most recent quarterly pension credit progress report published on 20 October. The report is available in the Library.
	
		Number of people in Stroud parliamentary constituency receiving pension credit and the average weekly amount
		
			  Household recipients Individual beneficiaries Average weekly amount 
		
		
			 May 2005 3,900 4,700 38.00 
			 May 2004 3,600 4,300 36.06 
			 November 2003 2,900 3,400 37.85 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 100 therefore totals may not sum. Average weekly payments are shown to the nearest penny.
	2.Pension credit (PC) replaced minimum income guarantee (MIG) on 6 October 2003. Existing MIG recipients were automatically converted onto pension credit on that date (assuming they still met the eligibility criteria).
	3.PC data are taken as at 30 November 2003 and 31 May in 2004, 2005.
	4.State pension data are taken as at 31 March 2001 and 31 May in 200205.
	5.Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	6.For March 2001, the caseload figures have been adjusted to be consistent with the Work and Pension Longitudinal Study (WPLS) data. These figures are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

Pension Reform

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy to increase the state pension age to 67; and if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for pension reform.

Stephen Timms: The Pensions Commission's Second Report published on 30 November 2005 includes recommendations to Government on raising the state pension age over time.
	As far as the specific recommendations are concerned, the Government are ruling nothing in and nothing out. Ministers have asked the Pensions Commission to continue their involvement in the public debate over the next few months. The Government will work toward, republication of a white paper in the spring which will set out their response.

Pensioners

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many female pensioners in Midlothian are in receipt of the full basic state pension.

Stephen Timms: The number of female pensioners in the Midlothian parliamentary constituency who are in receipt of a full basic state pension as at 31 March 2005 is 4,600.
	Notes
	1.Data is taken from 5 per cent. extract of Pension Service Computer System, therefore figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. They are also adjusted to be consistent with the overall caseload from the Work and Pension Longitudinal Study. 2.The figure for the number of recipients is rounded to the nearest hundred. 3.A full basic State Pension (79.60 in 200405) is paid to those who fully satisfy the contribution conditions either in their own right or where applicable, on the basis of their late or former spouse's contributions. 4.Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.
	Source
	DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample.

Pensioners

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners have been entitled to either income support or pension credit in each year since 1990; how many claimed it in each year; and what percentage did not claim in each year.

Stephen Timms: Estimates of the number of pensioners entitled to Income Support, the comparable number of recipients and the associated percentage rates of take-up can be found in the DWP report series: Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up. Copies of the annual series are held in the Library.
	The latest report relates to financial year 200203 and pre-dates the introduction of pension credit. The report presents patterns in the take-up of pensioners' income support/minimum income guarantee between 199798 and 200203.
	Information on numbers of households and individuals in receipt of pension credit at 30 June 2005 is contained in the most recent quarterly pension credit progress report published on 20 October. A copy of the report is also in the Library. The report containing the first six months following the introduction of pension credit, Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2003/2004 will be released on 19 December 2005 and will contain estimates of take-up.

Winter Fuel Payments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he is taking to speed up the payment of the winter fuel allowance.

Stephen Timms: The winter fuel payment is issued as quickly as possible following the September qualifying week and subsequent matching exercise to determine entitlement and level of payment. Payments go out over several weeks and commenced in early November. The majority of payments, including all automatic payments, will be made by Christmas.

Winter Fuel Payments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about increasing the winter fuel allowance.

Stephen Timms: The Chancellor has announced that the winter fuel payment will continue at the current rate for the remainder of this Parliament. The payment provides a significant contribution towards fuel cost.

Winter Fuel Payments

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will receive the winter fuel payment in the Leeds, West constituency in 200506.

Stephen Timms: For winter 200405 there were 14,035 people in the Leeds, West constituency who received a winter fuel payment. We expect the numbers for winter 200506 to be similar. This information for winter 200405 is also available in the Library.
	Notes
	1.Figures are rounded to the nearest five. 2.Local authorities and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	Source
	Information Directorate, 100 per cent. Sample

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Australia (Domestic Violence)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how many immigration cases have involved allegations of domestic violence in Australia in the past three years;
	(2)  how many women accompanied by their children who have fled alleged domestic violence in Australia have been (a) granted visas to stay in the United Kingdom and (b) had their children returned to Australia against their wishes in the last three years.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 6 December 2005
	Our visa issuing post in Canberra, which handles all applications for entry clearance to the United Kingdom from Australia, has no statistics of applications from individuals who might have been involved in domestic violence.
	Although it is possible that some individuals seeking entry clearance for the UK may be victims of domestic violence, there is no provision under the Immigration Rules for entry to the UK on these grounds. There is therefore no requirement or incentive for an applicant seeking entry clearance at any of our visa issuing missions overseas to declare that they have been subject to domestic violence, as their applications will be considered on other grounds.
	Jurisdiction on the return of nationals to their home country belongs with the Home Office.

BBC World Service

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) benchmarks and (b) indicators have been set by which to judge the effectiveness of the planned BBC World Service Arabic television news channel.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently in discussions with the BBC World Service about all its performance measures to be in place from April 2006. It is anticipated that measures for the BBC Arabic Television service will include indicators on reach, impact (including reputation), quality and value for money among target audiences in key areas throughout the region.

Broadcasting (Illegal Jamming)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions have been held between the US State Department and the UK Government on representations each Government has made to the Libyan Government over the recent jamming of communication satellites Telstar 12 and Hotbird; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has made to the Libyan Government about the jamming of the Telstar 12 and Hotbird communication satellites since September; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of Libya's compliance with the International Telecommunications regulations of the United Nations International Telecommunications Union (a) within Libya and (b) with reference to jamming of the Telstar 12 and Hotbird communications satellites; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions the Government had with (a) broadcasting authorities and (b) Loral Skynet on (i) disruption of commercial and Government data circuits and (ii) restoration of Sowt Alamel's broadcasting services via the Telstar 12 and Hotbird satellites; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what impact the recent interruption of the Telstar12 and Hotbird communication satellites had on Government communications.

Kim Howells: We have been informed that the Telstar 12 satellite has experienced some technical interference and note it has been alleged that the interference has originated from Libya. Our understanding is that, if true, the allegedaction might be a breach of the International Telecommunications Regulations of the United Nations International Telecommunications Union.
	Government communications may have been disrupted and we are investigating the matter further. Following discussions with the United States authorities, the Office of Communications and Loral Skynet, the British ambassador in Tripoli raised the issue with the Libyan authorities at senior level.
	The Government continue to work to eliminate barriers to freedom of expression and information and to create an environment in which free speech and free media flourish.

Burma

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Myanmar Government over the extended detention under house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ian Pearson: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest with almost no contact with anyone outside her compound. We have not yet been able to verify the reports that her period of detention has been formally extended. The Burmese authorities have given no official notification of the extended detention.
	We have, however, joined with others in the international community in calling repeatedly for her immediate release and that of all political prisoners in Burma, most recently in a statement issued on behalf of the European Union on 28 November.
	We will continue to highlight the case of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi with the Burmese authorities at every available opportunity. Our ambassador in Rangoon raised her continuing detention and that of other prisoners of conscience when she met the Burmese Home Minister on 26 October. In the meantime our embassy in Rangoon is monitoring the situation closely.

Cameroon

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct the British ambassador to Cameroon to make urgent representations to President Biya concerning the arrest and detention of Mr. Nfor Ngala Nfor.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 7 December 2005
	My noble Friend, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, raised the case of Mr. Nfor Ngala Nfor with the Cameroon Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on 24 November.
	The British high commissioner to Cameroon discussed the Southern Cameroons National Council with the Cameroon Deputy Minister of Justice on 29 November.

Colombia

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Colombia to ensure that (a) criminal investigations into third parties who backed and co-ordinated paramilitaries are advanced and (b) that those responsible for backing paramilitarism are brought to justice under the new Justice and Peace Law.

Douglas Alexander: We have regularly urged the Colombian Government to do more to tackle the issue of collusion between state officials and the paramilitary groups. President Uribe has publicly stated on a number of occasions that he will not tolerate such collusion and will act decisively against those who are proved to have such links. The Colombian Government have a clear duty to undertake thorough judicial investigations into all attacks and abuses, including those where there are credible allegations of collusion. We have made this point to the Colombians on many occasions and will continue to do so. We have also made it clear that a culture of impunity must not be allowed to flourish.
	We have been encouraged by recent, stronger action by the Colombians to address these issues. This has resulted in dismissals from the security forces, and in some cases, arrests and imprisonment of both high-ranking army officers and police. Such action sends a strong message that collusion with illegal groups and involvement in drug trafficking will not be tolerated. It also helps increase public confidence in the security forces. We commend the Colombian Government for this and urge them to continue, and strengthen, their efforts to crack down on collusion and to deny impunity to wrong-doers.
	The EU response to the new Justice and Peace Law can be found at http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/gena/86442.pdf

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates President Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has visited the UK in the last four years.

Ian Pearson: President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has made an official visit to the United Kingdom once over the last four years, from 46 February 2004. Prior to that, he also made an official visit to the UK in March 2001.

Departmental Victim Support

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether policy changes in relation to victim and family support from his Department are being considered following the Sharm el-Sheikh bombing.

Kim Howells: Those injured abroad, or the relatives or dependants of those killed abroad, are not currently eligible for compensation under the UK compensation schemes. However, the Government are currently discussing this, and the wider question of support in the UK for the victims of terrorist incidents overseas.

Diplomatic Residency (Cape Town)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  for what reasons the head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office property management team and a consultant interior designer recently visited the high commissioner's residency in Cape Town; and at whose request the visit was made;
	(2)  when the high commissioner's residence in Cape Town was last refurbished and redecorated;
	(3)  who is now resident in the high commissioner's residence in Cape Town.

Ian Pearson: The Head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Property Management team has not visited Cape Town.
	The FCO has a rolling visit programme to review the interiors and furnishings of certain residences. The visit of an interior designer to Cape Town was part of this programme. A senior member of Estates Directorate visiting South Africa on other business took the opportunity to accompany them.
	The Cape Town residence last had a major refurbishment in financial year 200001.
	The high commissioner, the right hon. Paul Boateng and his wife, reside both in his residence in Pretoria and in his residence in Cape Town.

European Court of Human Rights

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those cases against the United Kingdom that have been lodged and are awaiting consideration by the European Court of Human Rights; which articles of the Convention are cited in each application as having been breached; which cases have been ruled admissible; and if he will make a statement on each case.

Ian Pearson: A list of all the cases lodged against the United Kingdom at the European Court of Human Rights is not available as in the majority of cases the Court decides without referring them to Governments. The cases against the United Kingdom that have been ruled admissible, and the articles in respect of which they are admissible, are as follows:
	
		
			 Case name Article 
		
		
			 Barrow Article 14 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Bell Article 6 
			 Black Article 6 
			 Blake Article 6 
			 Boyle Article 5 
			 C Articles 6, 8 and 13 
			 Grant Articles 8, 14 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Keegan and Others Articles 8 and 13 
			 McKay Article 5 
			 O'Halloran and Francis Article 6 
			 Pearson Article 14 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Saadi Article 5 
			 Singh and Others Articles 8, 12, 13 and 14 
			 Stec and Others Article 14 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Tsfayo Article 6 
			 Walker Article 14 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Widowers (71 cases) Article 8 and/or Article 1 of Protocol 1 and  Article 14 
			 Young Article 6 
		
	
	The other cases which have been communicated to the Government and on which an admissibility decision is awaited, and the articles in respect of which they have been communicated, are as follows:
	
		
			 Case name Article 
		
		
			 A and Others Articles 3, 5, 13 and 14 
			 Alderson and eight Others Article 6 
			 Basnet Articles 2, 3, 5 and 6 
			 Bellinger Articles 8, 12, 13, 14 and Article 1 of  Protocol 1 
			 BH Article 6 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Botmeh and Alami Article 6 
			 Brecknell and Others Article 2 
			 Burden Article 14 and Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Capital Landfill Restoration Article 1 of Protocol 1 
			 Copland Articles 3, 6 and 8 
			 Dearnley Article 6 
			 Dickson Articles 8 and 12 
			 Drew Article 3 
			 Elahi Article 8 
			 Evans Articles 8 and 14 
			 Fernie Article 6 
			 Financial Times and Others Articles 6 and 10 
			 Hussain (A) Articles 2 and 3 
			 Hussain (Y) Article 6 
			 Liberty and Others Articles 8 and 13 
			 M Article 8 
			 MacDonald Articles 8, 13 and 14 
			 Martin Article 6 
			 McCann Article 8 
			 MW Articles 8, 12 and 14 and Article 1 of  Protocol 1 
			 N Article 3 
			 S and Marper Articles 8 and 14 
			 Schofield Article 6 
			 Times Newspapers Article 10 
			 Upton Articles 8 and 14 
			 Wainwright Articles 3, 8 and 13 
			 Widowers (319 cases) Article 8 and/or Article 1 of Protocol 1 and  Article 14 
			 Wilkinson Articles 3, 6, 8 and 13 
			 Wilson Article 6 
		
	
	To prepare a statement on each of these cases would result in disproportionate cost.

Foreign Decorations

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2005, Official Report, columns 224546W, on foreign decorations, when he expects the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals to announce (a) its decision on the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal and (b) the results of its review of the Government's rules for the accepting and wearing of foreign awards.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 6 December 2005
	The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals will be considering the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal and reviewing certain rules governing the accepting and wearing of foreign awards at its meeting on 7 December. Further consultations may be required before the Committee submits its advice to Her Majesty The Queen. Hon. Members will be informed when decisions have been taken.

Indonesia

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy on the US removal of the military embargo against Indonesia; what representations the Government has made to the US Administration on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We have noted the United States (US) Government decision on their military relationship with Indonesia. We have not made any representations to the US Administration on this matter.

Iraq

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost was of (a) private security guards and (b) private contractors employed in Iraq by the UK Government in 200405; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 6 December 2005
	In financial year 200405, the total cost requirements for private security guards and private contractors employed in Iraq by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were 48.9 million and 9.67 million respectively.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether an official in his Department has issued an apology to the Iraqi authorities in relation to the events in Basra on 19 and 20 September.

Kim Howells: No apologies have been given to the Iraqi authorities by officials with regard to any aspect of the events of 19 September. The UK and Iraqi authorities have conducted and completed inquiries into the events of 19 September in Basra. A joint statement about the matter was released on 11 October 2005, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/l/hi/uky4332818.stm. The matter is now closed.

Kosovo

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in the UN-led talks on the future status of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: On 10 November, the United Nations Security Council endorsed the Secretary-General's appointment of former Finnish President, Martti Ahtisaari, as his Status Envoy for Kosovo. Mr.Ahtisaari has begun his work, visiting Belgrade and Pristina last week. We look to both sides to engage constructively in this process. The British Government will continue to support the Status Envoy. I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of the Contact Group (United States, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Russia together with representatives of the European Union) Guiding Principles. These are there to support the work of the Status Envoy.

Legislative Consultation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish its response to advice from.

Ian Pearson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has three advisory non-departmental public bodies (NDPB). They are the Diplomatic Service Appeal Board, The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine and the Wilton Park Academic Council.
	The Government are not required to consult these NDPBs prior to legislative proposals or publish their response to advice from them.

Liberia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State forForeign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK is providing to the Government of Liberia to reform and strengthen the (a) justice and (b) civil security structure in Liberia; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The UK is currently providing no direct support to Liberia on the justice sector. The Department for International Development (DFID) looked into a justice programme, but could not proceed for lack of a suitable local partner. Further, there are several other donors present in Monrovia better placed to cover thissector. The UK, however, played a key role in negotiating and getting agreement on the Governance and Economic Management Assistance Programme (GEMAP), which has a justice component. The UK representative in Monrovia is also involved in the Rule of Law Taskforce, and DFID is running a governance programme with an anti-corruption component.
	The UK is actively involved in sharing lessons learned from the UK Security Sector Reform (SSR) leadership role in Sierra Leone with the UN and the United States, who are leading on SSR in Liberia. There is also a UK Brigadier seconded to the UN in Liberia to advise on various aspects of SSR.

Liberia

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the level of resources available to UN human rights officials tasked with investigating reports of trial by ordeal in Liberia; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: We are aware of recent so-called witchcraft trials in Grand Cape Mount county. Such worrying issues form part of our regular dialogue with the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), including with their human rights staff. UNMIL are not only following closely and attending some of the hearings, but they are also carrying out civic education with local communities. The UK Political Officer in Monroviathe sole Government representative in Liberiahas discussed the trials with UNMIL human rights staff, both in Monrovia and during a visit to the county where the activity is centred, in November 2005.

Palestine

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli authorities regarding the lifting of restrictions in Palestine in line with the Roadmap in preparation for the legislative elections scheduled for 25 January 2006.

Kim Howells: We, along with our EU partners, have emphasised to the Israeli Government the need to co-operate fully with the Palestinian authority in facilitating the preparation and conduct of the elections, especially to ensure the freedom of movement of all election officials, candidates, campaigners and voters.

Sanjar Umarov

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the (a) whereabouts, (b) medical condition and (c) reason and conditions of detention of Sanjar Umarov; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers of his Department and (c) other members and representatives of the UK Government have had with members and representatives of the government of Uzbekistan concerning the (i) arrest and (ii) detention of Sanjar Umarov on 22 October 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Sanjar Umarov was detained on 22 October 2005. He is being held in solitary confinement in Tashkent City Prison on charges of large scale embezzlement related to his business affairs. TheProsecutor General's Office has completed its preliminary investigation into Mr. Umarov's affairs and has submitted it to the Supreme Economic Court.
	Mr. Umarov's lawyer was first able to visit on 26 October 2005. He reported that Mr. Umarov was naked in his cell and incoherent. On subsequent visits Mr. Umarov has been able to talk to his lawyer in the presence of the investigation team. He has requested medical treatment for high blood pressure but has not had an independent medical assessment to date.
	Our ambassador in Tashkent, David Moran, raised Mr. Umarov's case with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 October 2005 and again with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mustafayev on 26 October 2005. We issued a Presidency statement on 25 October 2005 calling on the Uzbek authorities to allow Mr. Umarov access to his lawyer and his family and to treat him in accordance with international standards. The statement can be found at:
	http://www.eu2005.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename= OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPagec=Pagecid= l107293561746a=KArticleaid=l129042521613date= 2005-l025.
	Mr. Moran discussed Umarov's case with Foreign Minister Ganiev on 2, 10 and 11 November 2005.
	On 8 November 2005, the EU issued a declaration on the human rights situation in Uzbekistan, which referred to Umarov's detention and urgently requested the Uzbek authorities to allow an independent assessment of Mr. Umarov's condition. The declaration, which can be found at: http://www.eu2005.gov.uk/servlct/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPagec= Pagecid=l107293561746a=KArticleaid= l130675480072date=2005-l108, was delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by diplomatic note.
	Our Embassy in Tashkent remains in close touch with Umarov's family and lawyer.

Uganda

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of whether the Lord's Resistance Army is willing to engage in peace talks with the Government of Uganda.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 7 December 2005
	The Ugandan Interior Minister has welcomed the recent comments made by Vincent Otti, the Lord's Resistance Army's (LRA) deputy commander, to the BBC that the LRA is ready to talk. Former Ugandan Minister, Betty Bigombe, who has been trying for years to encourage peace talks, has suggested that if it is genuine in its latest offer, the LRA should call a ceasefire in northern Uganda. For any peace talks to succeed the LRA needs to demonstrate that they are seriously pursuing a sustainable peace that ensures those indicted by the International Criminal Court face justice in The Hague.

United States (Deportation)

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreignand Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2005, Official Report, column909W, to the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell), on the United States (deportation), whether the answer applies to UK Overseas Territories.

Kim Howells: I can confirm that that answer is true of the UK Overseas Territories.

War Crimes Trial (Guantanamo)

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the US Administration on behalf of (a) the UK Government and (b) the European Union regarding theUS Department of Defence's decision to conduct the first war crimes trial at Guantanamo with the power to impose the death penalty; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government's view on the Military Commissions are well known to the United States (US) Government. The Government have expressed their reservations about them from July 2003 when two British nationals were designated for possible trial. The Government subsequently concluded that the Commissions did not meet the standards required for our nationals. The UK has not made representations on this matter on behalf of EU member states.
	The Military Commissions have been suspended, pending consideration of the Hamdan case by the US Supreme Court. This is not expected before early next year. The US Government have confirmed that it will not seek the death penalty for any of the nine terrorist suspects it has formally charged at Guantanamo Bay.

West Papua

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits have been made by embassy staff to West Papua in the past year; and if he will place copies of the reports of the visits in the Library.

Ian Pearson: Members of the British embassy, Jakarta, have visited Papua on three occasions in the past year.
	It would not be appropriate to place copies of the reports of the visits in the Library of the House.

West Papua

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column1902W, on West Papua, what reports he has received that Tactica water cannon vehicles are present in West Papua and have been used to control peaceful protests; what representations he has since made to the Indonesian authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: In the period since 22 November, we have received reports indicating that Tactica water cannon vehicles were deployed to the city of Jayapura, Papua in August of this year. The reports indicate that the vehicles may have been used by police to disperse a violent incident during which demonstrators were allegedly seeking to cause criminal damage to a public facility. We are currently seeking confirmation of these reports from the Indonesian authorities.

West Papua

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1902W, on West Papua, what guidelines have been issued to his Department's embassy staff in Indonesia concerning the end-use monitoring of UK-supplied military equipment; and if he will place copies of those guidelines in the Library.

Ian Pearson: No guidelines have been issued to embassy staff in Jakarta concerning the end-use monitoring of UK supplied military equipment. The core standing tasks of the British embassy Jakarta include investigating any credible reports that British supplied equipment has been used by the armed forces or law enforcement agencies to perpetrate abuses of human rights.

West Papua

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1902W, on West Papua, what assessment he has made of whether the use of Tactica vehicles to control peaceful protests is a breach of previous assurances that UK-supplied equipment will not be used to violate human rights.

Ian Pearson: We consider that the use by a Government within its own borders of proportionate force to maintain law and order, subject to appropriate controls, is legitimate and does not constitute internal repression or a human rights abuse.
	We have received reports that Tactica water cannon vehicles may have been used by police to disperse a violent incident in Jayapura, Papua, during which demonstrators were allegedly seeking to cause criminal damage to a public facility. We are currently seeking confirmation of these reports from the Indonesian authorities.

HEALTH

Acute Hospitals

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospitals have provided type 1 accident and emergency facilities in each year since 1990.

Liam Byrne: Data on the number of type 1 accident and emergency (A and E) departments are only available in this format from 200001 and are shown in the following table. Prior to 200001, statistics provided a count of the number of trusts providing a type 1 A and E service, rather than the number of type 1 A and E services. The pre-200001 trust data are available on the Department's website at:www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity
	
		Type 1 A and E departments, 200001 to 200506
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200001 201 
			 200102 196 
			 200203 209 
			 200304 211 
			 200405 208 
		
	
	Note:
	As at end March of relevant year.
	Source:
	KH03 for 200001 to 200102. QMAE for subsequent years.

Alcohol

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 March 2005, Official Report, column 738W, on alcohol, if she will break down the figures provided by (a) primary care trust, (b) London borough and (c) individual London hospital.

Jane Kennedy: Information showing the number of admission episodes for alcohol-related diseases in children aged 1115 by primary care trust, London local authority and London hospital provider, has been placed in the Library.

Allergy Specialists

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many allergy specialists are working in the NHS in London, broken down by (a) primary care trust and (b) London borough.

Jane Kennedy: London primary care trusts do not employ staff with an allergy speciality and numbers of allergy specialists are not collected by London borough.
	However, the information in the table shows the latest figures available for hospital medical staff with a specialty in allergy, within London Government Office Region, by strategic health authority, national health service trust and grade.
	
		Hospital, medical staff with a specialty in allergy, within London Government Office Region, by strategic health authority, organisation and grade as at 30 September 2004 -- Number (headcount)
		
			   Of which: 
			   All staff Consultant Registrar group Senior house officer Hospital practitioner/ clinical assistant 
		
		
			 London GOR  45 32 9 1 3 
			 Of which:   
			 North Central London SHA Q05 13 10 2 1 0 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children RP4 4 4 0 0 0 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust RAP 1 1 0 0 0 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust RAL 7 4 2 1 0 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust RRV 1 1 0 0 0 
			 North East London SSA Q06 3 3 0 0 0 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust RNJ 3 3 0 0 0 
			
			 North West London SHA Q04 15 9 3 0 3 
			 Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust RQM 2 2 0 0 0 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust RQN 6 1 2 0 3 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust RT3 3 2 1 0 0 
			 St. Mary's NHS Trust RJ5 4 4 0 0 0 
			
			 South East London SHA Q07 9 6 3 0 0 
			 Guys and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust RJ1 5 3 2 0 0 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust RJZ 4 3 1 0 0 
			
			 South West London SHA Q08 5 4 1 0 0 
			 Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust RVR 5 4 1 0 0 
		
	
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre medical and dental work force census.

Antidepressants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2005, Official Report, column 1799W, on antidepressant drugs, if she will break down the figures by (a) 0 to 11, (b) 12 to 16, (c) 17 to 25, (d) 26 to 50, (e) 51 to 65, (f) 66 to 75 and (g) 75 year olds and over; and what proportion of the total population in each age chart is represented as a proportion of the total population for each age group.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available. Age-based prescription data are available only for people within the three age-related charge exemption categories: zero to 15 years; 16 to 18 years and in full-time education; and people aged 60 years or over.
	Prescription data are not gathered for other age categories, nor where a prescription charge exemption on age grounds alone does not apply: 16 to 18 but not in full-time education and all persons aged 18 to 59 years.

Audiology

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2648W, on audiology services, what data is being collected as part of the pilot for diagnostic tests for pure tone audiometry; which hospitals are involved in the pilot; when the results of the pilot will be published; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr.Lansley) on 12 November 2005, Official Report, column 2648W. The pilot data collection looked at data on activity and waiting times for a short list of diagnostic tests or procedures, including pure tone audiometry. The same set of information was collected for each of the diagnostic tests/procedures covered by the piloting exercise.

Children's Hospices

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of primary care trust deficits on funding for children's hospices; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The national health service is currently receiving the largest sustained increase in funding in its history, with an investment of 135 billion over 200607 and 200708. There is no limit to the amount primary care trusts may devote to palliative care
	In our manifesto, we made a commitment to increase the funding for end of life care, giving people the choice as to where they receive this care. This pledge is extended to the care of children and young people with a life-threatening condition.

Departmental PSAs

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends to extend the ambit of her Department's 2004 public service agreement target number eight to include those persons supported by grant-funded organisations.

Liam Byrne: There are no current plans to extend the ambit of public service agreement target number eight. However, the Health and Social Care Information Centre is currently leading a project to establish a data collection on the number of people who are helped to live more independently in their own homes through services provided by voluntary and other organisations that do not form part of a formal care package agreed by social services.

Departmental Resources

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the real terms percentage increase in allocated resources for her Department (a) was for the period 199798 to 200405 and (b) is estimated to be between 200506 and 200708 (i) for each period and (ii) for each year.

Jane Kennedy: The average real terms increase in national health service total net expenditure for the period 199798 to 200405 is 6.2 per cent.
	The estimated average real terms increase in NHS total net expenditure for the period 200506 to 200708 is 7.1 per cent.
	The real terms increase year on year from 199798 to 200708 is included in the following table.
	
		NHS total expenditure: England 199798 to 200708
		
			   Net NHS expenditure ( billion) Percentage increase Percentage real terms increase 
		
		
			 Cash 
			 199798 Outturn 34.664 5.1 2.0 
			 199899 Outturn 36.608 5.6 2.9 
			 19992000 Outturn 39.881 8.9 6.8 
			  
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 1  
			 19992000 Outturn 40.201   
			 200001 Outturn 43.932 9.3 7.9 
			 200102 Outturn 49.021 11.6 8.9 
			 200203 Outturn 54.042 10.2 6.8 
			  
			 Resource Budgeting Stage 2  
			 200304 Outturn 63.001   
			 200405 Estimated outturn 69.706 10.6 8.3 
			 200506 Plan 76.387 9.6 6.9 
			 200607 Plan 84.324 10.4 7.5 
			 200708 Plan 92.643 9.9 7.0

East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust (Chief Executive)

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what grounds the chief executive of the East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust recently resigned her position; and what payment has been made to her in settlement of her claims against the Trust.

Caroline Flint: Ministers were not involved in the employment matters of East Sussex Hospitals National Health Service Trust. This was a matter which was dealt with by the trust.
	However, Surrey and Sussex strategic health authority, the local headquarters of the NHS has advised that the former chief executive resigned her position to pursue new career opportunities. I understand that the trust intends to publish details of her severance package in the next annual accounts.

Epilepsy

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to encourage the development of epilepsy networks within the NHS.

Liam Byrne: We have invested 1.2 million in a NHS Modernisation Agency project to improve access to, and the quality of, neurological services. We have also given 290,000 to the National Society for Epilepsy to develop its information outreach services.
	On 19 February 2003, the Department published its action plan for epilepsyImproving Services For People With Epilepsy. Following this, the NHS Modernisation Agency ran Action on Neurology in 200405 at eight pilot sites. This included delivering high quality epilepsy service without the need for patients to travel far by the use of electronic and paper patient-held records. The pilots also aimed to improve communications between primary, secondary and tertiary care by developing a network of healthcare professionals to deliver a co-ordinated service. A further aim was to develop general practice with special interest services for people with epilepsy and headaches and a primary care triage system to improve access and efficiency.

Fertility Treatment

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the use of eligibility criteria by primary care trusts in the provision of funding for infertility services;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the extent to which primary care trusts are making available sufficient funding for centrally-agreed levels of fertility treatment;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the progress that primary care trusts in England are expected to make in implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on fertility;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the forthcoming (a) review of specialised services commissioning and (b) reorganisation of primary care trusts on progress towards implementing the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's clinical guideline on fertility.

Caroline Flint: When the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline on theassessment and treatment of people with fertility problems was published in February 2004 we advised primary care trusts (PCTs) to offer a minimum of one cycle of invitro fertilisation (IVF) by April 2005 to those who meet the clinical criteria in the guideline, giving priority to couples with no children living with them. Following up the implementation of the guideline, NICE has carried out surveys measuring its impact and these are available on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk The surveys have found that 95 per cent. of the PCTs who responded are offering at least one cycle of IVF to those defined as eligible according to local criteria. The primary responsibility for the implementation of the clinical guideline on the assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems produced by NICE rests with the national health service at local level, in discussion with patients' groups and local health bodies. Local policies will reflect local needs and priorities. We have advised that we expect the NHS to make progress to full implementation of the guideline in the longer term.
	The assessment and treatment of people with fertility problems is not defined as a specialised service. In many cases, PCTs work together to commission infertility treatment services.

Health Services (Uxbridge)

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) residential and (b) in-patient specialist drug treatment rehabilitation places are available in (i) Uxbridge constituency and (ii) each London borough.

Jane Kennedy: We do not hold figures for Uxbridge as drug treatment data are collected on a drug action team (DAT) area basis. Data are not collected on treatment places, but collected on the basis of aggregated numbers in treatment in the financial year across all six treatment types, which are:
	day care
	general practitioner prescribing
	specialist prescribing
	residential rehabilitation
	in-patient detoxification
	structured counselling
	In 200405, the numbers in treatment in Hillingdon, of which Uxbridge is part of, was 504.
	The figures for all DATs in London, for numbers in treatment in 200405 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 571 
			 Barnet 562 
			 Bexley 345 
			 Brent 844 
			 Bromley 657 
			 Camden 1,834 
			 City of London 20 
			 Croydon 954 
			 Ealing 1,203 
			 Enfield 608 
			 Greenwich 782 
			 Hackney 1,180 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,079 
			 Haringey 1,022 
			 Harrow 757 
			 Havering 482 
			 Hillingdon 504 
			 Hounslow 857 
			 Islington 1,495 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,150 
			 Kingston upon Thames 424 
			 Lambeth 1,527 
			 Lewisham 1,063 
			 Merton 728 
			 Newham 859 
			 Redbridge 651 
			 Richmond upon Thames 647 
			 Southwark 1,503 
			 Sutton 564 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,204 
			 Waltham Forest 626 
			 Wandsworth 945 
			 Westminster 1,392 
			 London region total 27,692

Health Warnings (Cigarette Packets)

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make representations to the European Commission for the addition of a smoking causes blindness warning to the list of approved warnings for cigarette packets.

Caroline Flint: The European Commission is not currently in a position to change the health warnings on tobacco packs. There are many candidate conditions caused by smoking that might be appropriate as new warnings. As and when the 14 current health warnings are reviewed, the United Kingdom will be keen to be involved in ensuring that the revised warnings are as effective as possible.

Hepatitis C

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to increase the proportion of people infected with hepatitis C that are treated.

Caroline Flint: The Department is running a hepatitis C awareness campaign for healthcare professionals and the public as part of implementation of the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England.
	One of the aims of the awareness campaign is increase diagnosis of hepatitis C so that those infected can be referred for specialist assessment and treatment, if indicated. The awareness campaign highlights groups considered to be at risk of hepatitis C infection and who should consider being tested, or who should be offered testing by healthcare professionals.

HIV/AIDS

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to conduct an appraisal of the use of anti-HIV drugs for post-exposure prophylaxis.

Caroline Flint: Public health guidance on anti-HIV drugs for post-exposure prophylaxis was published on 5 July 1998 by the Health Education Authority and is available on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's website at www.nice.org.uk. It has also been placed in the Library.

HIV/AIDS

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in North Somerset primary care trust were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004; and how many have been so diagnosed in 2005.

Caroline Flint: Data on HIV/AIDS diagnoses are not available at primary care trust (PCT) level. Data at strategic health authority (SHA) level which have reported to the end of September 2005 are available on the Health Protection Agency's website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/hiv/epidemiology/hars_tables.htm.
	The relevant SHA for North Somerset PCT is Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA.

Hospitals

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people were admitted to hospital on Christmas day in each year since 1997 in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority, broken down by reason for admittance;
	(2)  how many people stayed in hospital overnight on Christmas day in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Hospitals

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost is to NHS hospitals per meal provided by (a) in-house and (b) external caterers.

Jane Kennedy: The average cost to NHS hospitals per main patient meal for in-house and external caterers is 2.60 and 2.56 respectively.

Hospitals

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of patients leaving NHS hospitals after stays of a week or more who are suffering from malnutrition.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Counts of finished discharge episodes and counts of individual patients where the primary diagnosis is malnutrition and length of stay is seven days or longer in national health service hospitals in England for 200304 -- Primary diagnosis
		
			 Discharges Patients 
		
		
			 165 159 
		
	
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre

Influenza Vaccinations

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those categories of people who are on the Government's priority list to receive avian influenza vaccinations in the event of a UK outbreak.

Caroline Flint: There has been some confusion between seasonal flu, avian flu and pandemic flu. Avian influenza is a disease which mainly affects birds. Seasonal flu refers to the viruses that circulate in the human population and cause widespread illness each winter. Pandemic flu will only occur after an avian virus has mutated into a strain to which large numbers of the population have not been exposed and which can spread easily between humans.
	We are finalising a contract for the purchase of a two to three million doses of vaccine against the H5N1 strain currently circulating in South East Asia and other areas. This vaccine can be used for research and for possible use for healthcare workers in an emergency, and may provide some limited protection against a pandemic emerging from that source. We hope to award this contract shortly and would receive some stocks early next year.

Influenza Vaccinations

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of those eligible for the winter influenza vaccine have been vaccinated in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Flu uptake in those aged 65 and over for the last five years
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 200001 65.3 
			 200102 67.7 
			 200203 68.5 
			 200304 71.0 
			 200405 71.5

Influenza Vaccinations

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average patient waiting time was for a winter influenza vaccine in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: This data are not held centrally.

IVF Treatment

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have received help from the national health service for IVF treatment in each of the last five years, broken down by primary care trust.

Caroline Flint: Information about the number of people receiving in vitro fertilisation in each primary care trust is not collected centrally. The primary responsibility for the provision of these services rests with the national health service at local level.

Lupus

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 October 2005, Official Report, column 442W, on lupus, whether the part of her Department's research and development budget which is allocated to and managed by individual NHS organisations is ring-fenced solely for the purpose of research and development.

Jane Kennedy: The research and development budget the Department allocates to national health service organisations is subject to an agreement between the Secretary of State and each of those organisations. The agreement is an NHS contract and is legally binding. The agreement states that the research and development allocation should be used to
	host, support, carry out and commission research and development in such a way as to achieve maximum benefits in terms of the NHS research and development strategy.
	It specifically precludes expenditure on local service development, clinical audit, patient care services, or costs that are, or should be, met by another body such as a commercial organisation, NHS commissioner or university.
	The Department undertakes regular performance management to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement, requiring annual reports from individual NHS organisations covering current research activity and financial accountability.
	The Government are committed to moving to full transparency of the use of research and development funds allocated to NHS trusts and achieving full sustainability for clinical research in the NHS. To that end, the Department's consultation document, Best Research for Best Health: a new national health research strategy includes proposals for the introduction of a system in which the money supporting research and development undertaken in the NHS will follow patient involvement in health studies.

Mental Health

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) consultant psychiatric posts and (b) mental health acute beds were available in each of the last five years in (i) West Sussex, (ii) East Sussex and (iii) Brighton and Hove Unitary Authority.

Caroline Flint: Information is not held centrally in the format requested. However, information on the number of medical consultants within the psychiatry group of specialities for West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Unitary Authority is shown in the table.
	The Department does not collect mental health acute beds data. However, information relating to the number of acute beds and the number of mental health beds at trust level is available on the Department's website at: www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data_ requests/beds_open_overnight.htm
	
		Hospital, public health medicine and community health services (HCHS) medical consultants: within the psychiatry group of specialties within specified organisations by year -- Numbers (headcount) and full time equivalents
		
			  East Sussex RXD South Downs RDR West Sussex RW8 
			  no fte no fte no fte 
		
		
			 1999 (23) (23) 20 18 (23) (23) 
			 2000 (23) (23) 20 17 (23) (23) 
			 2001 (23) (23) 25 21 (23) (23) 
			 2002 19 18 20 17 39 36 
			 2003 19 19 23 19 40 37 
			 2004 21 21 26 23 39 37 
			 2005(24) 25 25 22 20 45 42 
		
	
	(23)Equals zero.
	(24)As at June.
	Notes:
	1.'0' denotes less than one, more than zero.
	2.All data as at 30 September each year, except for 2005 where data as at 30 June.
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre medical and dental workforce census.

Mental Health

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment she has made of the level of funding for mental health services in North West Leicestershire.

Liam Byrne: The Department assesses annually the investment in mental health services published in the national survey of mental health services. The report details the level of investment in adult mental health services and compares it with results reported in previous years.
	The analysis in the report is derived from the detailedfinance mapping exercise co-ordinated by local implementation teams as part of the regular adult mental health review process undertaken each autumn.

Ministerial Travel

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) flights and (b) helicopter flights, taken by Ministers within her Department for (i) UK and (ii) overseas visits in each year since 1995; on how many occasions (A) charter flights were used and (B)first and club class tickets were obtained; and who accompanied the ministers on each trip.

Jane Kennedy: The Department does not hold the information in the form requested.
	Since 1999, the Government have published, an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library. These report information for the financial years 199596 to 200405. Information for 200506 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Jane Kennedy: The Department's finance systems do not hold information in the form requested. The available information up to 200304 is shown in the following table. In April 2004, the Department introduced a new accounting system. Under the new accounting system information on travel costs are not separately identifiable.
	
		Ministers' offices travel (including Ministers, officials and special advisers, where appropriate) -- 
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Total expenditure on travel 376,376 427,970 508,932 557,042 480,855 511,899 595,043 
			 United Kingdom travel rail 22,268 26,582 44,194 35,250 35,500 40,354 45,418 
			 Overseas travel rail 0 0 1,685 350 1,533 1,216 1,366 
			 UK air 4,755 2,376 2,395 15,780 22,919 17,104 20,602 
			 Overseas air 9,263 50,523 21,163 19,215 27,220 54,636 44,187 
		
	
	Since 1999, the Government have published, an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library. These report information for the financial years 199596 to 200405. Information for 200506 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.
	In respect of ministerial cars, my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Cabinet Office has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 200405. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library. For information for the financial years 200001 to 200304,I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the Chief Executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

NHS Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the end-of-year financial position was of the NHS (a) in total and (b) broken down by (i) NHS trust, (ii)primary care organisation and (iii) other NHS organisation in each year since 199798.

Liam Byrne: This information requested has been placed in the Library. In the year before this series (199697), 209 of the 529 national health service bodies were in deficit and the total deficit was 460 million.

NHS Logistics

Mike Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the 3.1 billion business for consumable goods not purchased from NHS Logistics in 2003 she expects the winning bidder for NHS Logistics business to provide direct to NHS trusts; and how the figure of 3.1 billion was calculated.

Jane Kennedy: The market testing of the proposed outsourcing of the national health service consumable supply chain and procurement services is ongoing and no decision has been made regarding outsourcing to an independent provider.
	The figure of 3.1 billion was calculated using trust financial returns (TFR3) data of 2003.

NICE (Drug Approvals)

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer drugs approved by the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use are awaiting approval by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Jane Kennedy: This is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Information about NICE'S current work programme is available on the its website at www.nice.org.uk.

NICE (Drug Approvals)

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average period of time taken was to assess a drug already approved by the EU's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use as suitable for human use following its referral to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the last period for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is not responsible for assessing the suitability of drugs for human use. Assessment of the safety, quality and efficacy of a medicinal product lies with the relevant medicines regulator, such as the Medical Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom. NICE provides advice to the national health service on the clinical and cost effectiveness of drugs approved by the European Union's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use and other regulators.

Obesity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2743W, on obesity, what indicators her Department has proposed for the new quality and outcomes framework; and whether they include obesity treatment.

Caroline Flint: NHS Employers, on behalf of United Kingdom Health Ministers, are currently discussing with the British Medical Association's general practitioners committee revisions on the existing general medical services contract. Once approved by the respective UK Health Ministers, an announcement on changes to the current contract will apply from April 2006.

Obesity

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will include points for treating obesity in the general practitioners contract; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions her Department has with the British Medical Association about treating obesity; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: NHS Employers, on behalf of United Kingdom Health Ministers, is currently discussing with the British Medical Association's general practitioners committee revisions on the existing general medical services contract. An announcement on changes to the current contract that will apply form April 2006 will be made at the end of the negotiating process, and once approved by the respective UK Health Ministers, which is intended to be later in the year.

Premature Babies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the financial impact of caring for a premature child who has contracted respiratory syncytial virus has been assessed; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Premature children, children with chronic lung disease, and those receiving oxygen therapy are particularly vulnerable to respiratory syncytial virus. The financial impact associated varies with the severity of the illness and is difficult to estimate. In addition to the cost to the national health service of hospital admissions, the associated longer term morbidity has a financial impact on families and on children's community health services.

Primary Care Trusts (Oxfordshire)

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what authority she has granted to the Thames Valley strategic health authority to consider letting the contract for the management of primary care trusts in Oxfordshire to the private sector.

Caroline Flint: No authority has been granted to the Thames Valley strategic health authority (SHA) to let the contract for the management of primary care trusts in Oxfordshire to the private sector.
	SHAs have submitted their proposals for the reconfiguration of primary care trusts (PCTs), which set out how they intend to strengthen their commissioning function. These proposals have been assessed by an independent external panel drawn from and representing a wide range of stakeholder interests, to determine whether the SHA proposals meet the criteria stipulated in 'Commissioning a Patient-Led NHS' (July 2005). Where the criteria are judged to have been met, the proposals will go forward to a 14 week local consultation. No decisions on the reorganisation of PCTs will be taken until this process has been completed.

Private Patients

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private patients were admitted to NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years.

Liam Byrne: The numbers of finished consultant episodes for private patients treated in national health service hospitals for each year from 199495 to 200304 are shown in the following table.
	
		Count of finished consultant episodes for private patients treated in national health service hospitals in England 199495 to 200304
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 199495 101,526 
			 199596 109,716 
			 199697 112,923 
			 199798 124,325 
			 199899 142,783 
			 19992000 144,341 
			 200001 125,902 
			 200102 121,712 
			 200203 118,680 
			 200304 113,273 
		
	
	Notes:
	1.Last 10 years for which data are currently available.
	2.Figures do not accurately represent the number of patients treated as a patient may have more than one episode of care during the year.
	3.Two different counting systems were used during this time series. From 200001 counts were based on administrative data category field 'admincat' but for earlier years the counts were based on a derived administrative category data field.
	4.Figures are grossed for coverage, except for 200304 which is not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
	Source:
	Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Public Interest Disclosure Act

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to ensure that her Department meets the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has its own whistleblowing policy which was introduced in line with the best practice advised by the Public Interest Disclosure Act. It enables staff to raise concerns about any malpractice or illegal act.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the costs of implementing the tuberculosis action plan, Stopping Tuberculosis in England.

Caroline Flint: The Chief Medical Officer's action plan Stopping Tuberculosis in England (October 2004) makes a number of recommendations on how tuberculosis (TB) services already funded within the national health service can make improvements to the overall delivery of services to tackle TB.
	The costs of implementing the action plan are not quantifiable. Changes to NHS services to deliver these recommendations are the responsibility of NHS managers and depend on local service models for the provision of services. Costs will vary in different locations to meet local needs.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost was of treating multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (a) per case and (b) in total in the last year for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: Data on the costs associated with treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, either by case or in total, are not routinely collected. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence has undertaken analysis of tuberculosis treatment costs as part of the development of forthcoming guidance TuberculosisNational clinical guideline for diagnosis, management, prevention, and control. This data is due for publication in early 2006.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of (a) tuberculosis and (b) multi-drug resistant tuberculosis there were in each year since 199798.

Caroline Flint: The information in the following table shows the number of cases of tuberculosis and of multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis in England and Wales from 1999 to 2003.
	
		
			  TB cases MDR cases 
		
		
			 1999 5,704 17 
			 2000 6,271 27 
			 2001 6,597 24 
			 2002 6,794 31 
			 2003 6,780 48 
		
	
	Note:
	Data is provided from 1999, the first year from which matched data are available, to 2003 which is the most recent year that matched data is available.
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency CfI Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance, as at 23 November 2005

Tuberculosis

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the training requirements are for nurses to administer the Mantoux test for TB.

Caroline Flint: Training requirements for nurses administering Mantoux tests are that they should be properly trained and competent in all aspects of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunisation policy and Mantoux testing procedure including:
	recent changes to national BCG policy,
	identification of individuals at higher risk of tuberculosis,
	when the use of Mantoux testing is appropriate,
	administration of an intradermal injection,
	subsequent reading of the test.

Waiting Times

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 October 2005, Official Report, column 2842W, on waiting times, where her Department is piloting data collections to support the 18-week waiting time target; when these data will be published; what data are being collected under each of the pilots; when she expects the collection of data to be extended to all parts of the country; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Details of the sites and diagnostic tests piloted are shown in the list. Pilot diagnostics data collections have helped refine the list of diagnostic tests to be included in the national data collection for the 18-week target. The national data collection is to be rolled out nationally from January 2006.
	Since this has been a pilot exercise, we have no plans to publish the associated data.
	A listening exercise on the principles and definitions to underpin the implementation of the 18-week target is under way. This will help inform the development of systems for measuring performance against the target. The exercise is being conducted via the 18-week website (www.18weeks.nhs.uk).
	18 weeks pilot sites:
	Aintree Hospitals National Health Service Trust
	Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust
	Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust
	Central Manchester and Manchester Children's Hospitals University NHS Trust
	East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
	Gateshead Health NHS Trust
	Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust
	Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
	Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
	Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust
	Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust
	Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust
	Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Trust
	Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust
	Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust
	St George's Healthcare NHS Trust
	Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
	Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
	University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
	Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust
	Somerset Coast Primary Care Trust (PCT)
	Bromley PCT
	Craven, Harrogate and Rural District PCT
	Newark and Sherwood PCT
	Tests piloted:
	Magnetic resonance imaging
	Computerised topography
	Non-obstetric ultrasound
	Barium Enema (from July)
	DEXA scan (from July)
	Audiologypure tone audiometry
	Cardiologyechocardiography
	Cardiologyelectrophysiology
	Neurophysiologyperipheral neurophysiology
	Respiratory physiologysleep studies
	Urodynamicspressures and flows (from July)
	Colonoscopy (from July)
	Flexi sigmoidoscopy (from July)
	Cystoscopy (from July)
	Gastroscopy (from July)
	Cardiologydiagnostic cardiac catheters/angiography (April to July)
	GI Physiologymanometry (April to July)
	Nurse and GPSI-led endoscopy (April to June)
	All other endoscopy (April to June)
	All other diagnostic tests or procedures (April to June)
	Physiological measurementbreath tests (July)
	Physiological Measurementbalance tests (July)
	Physiological measurementevent monitoring in ECGs (July)
	EndoscopyERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) (July)
	Endoscopycolposcopy (July)
	Endoscopyhysteroscopy (July)
	Endoscopylaparoscopy (July)
	Imagingnuclear medicine (July)

X-ray Equipment

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on (a) repairing existing and (b) buying new NHS X-ray equipment in 200405.

Jane Kennedy: A figure of 110 million, excluding value added tax, is recorded for repairs to existing x-ray equipment for national health service trusts in England in 200405. X-ray equipment is taken to refer to x-ray imaging equipment only: fluoroscopy, bone densitometers, general and mobile x-ray, mammography, cardiac, mobile image intensifiers.
	X-ray film or posterior anterior chest system, linear accelerators, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging equipment are therefore not included in these figures.
	Information on buying new NHS x-ray equipment in 200405 is not held centrally.